Deep thoughts from Jen (Yikes!)

I learned something today. It acutally started Sunday morning when I was playing hookey from church. Well, I wasn't physically ill, just physically exhausted and spiritually empty. I really didn't have it in me to go and be the mommy/minister's wife.

While I was eating my cereal, I was watching a church service on TV and the preacher was just starting. Among other things, he was the one that said that knowledge of the scriptures is just facts about the Bible, but having wisdom is knowing how to apply the scriptures to your life. It was a moment for me.

Then this morning I was reading in James 1 where he is talking about taking joy in your trials (still working on that one). I guess I have never gotten past the joy in trials thing because right after that, James writes in v. 4 that "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom,or the ability to apply the scriptures to a situation (added by me), he should ask God. . ."

I am constantly asking for wisdom. Wisdom to raise the kids right, make good decisions, say the right words, relate to the weirdest teen I have ever met, etc., etc., etc. And every time I take the time to ask, it is given to me. The scripture says that wisdom makes you mature and complete, and continuing to work backwards through the passage, one of the ways you get wisdom is by persevering through trials as your faith is being tested. I am still not sure about the joy part so I will stop there.

I have to say that I prefer asking for wisdom directly from God, as opposed to having to perservere through something to get it. But we can't stop there. In v. 6 it says that we must believe and not doubt. I think that part of asking is being prepared to actually do what the wisdom suggests. No matter how crazy or "out there" it seems. Like adopting a baby from China, or making that phone call, or actually listening to what the hair dryer says.