A Prayer for Wisdom in Today’s Decisions - Your Daily Prayer - September 16

Your Daily Prayer

Audio By Carbonatix

By Amanda Idleman, Crosswalk.com

A Prayer for Wisdom in Today’s Decisions
By: Amanda Idleman

Bible Reading:
"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." - Proverbs 2:6

God defines wisdom as more than just intelligence; it’s being able to discern and apply God's will in our daily lives so we can have a life that aligns with His purposes. Wisdom is a gift of God. His wisdom is characterized by sound judgment, understanding, and discernment. We have to have humble and reverent hearts to attain God’s wisdom and acknowledge that his way is better.

We need wisdom every day. Every morning, we are faced with new crossroads, new relational dynamics, and work decisions. Without God’s wisdom, the narrow path is impossible to stay on. Only through his grace and guidance can we follow his way.

On my toughest days, my heart cries out, "Help me, God!" It’s just all I can say to express that I don’t know what I am doing here. I need his bird's-eye view, his strong arm, and his sure strength to show me the way forward.

Psalm 25:4 says, “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths.”

His way often looks different from mine. My way is frequently reactive, based on momentary emotions. God’s way sees the end goal and postures our lives towards that. It is defined by goodness and mercy. It inspires us to live with the fruits of the Spirit. His ways are higher than ours.

That’s why finding his wisdom often requires a holy pause. We have to slow down, take time to pray, and listen as part of our regular life rhythm so we can have eyes to see and ears to hear what God has for us. We must approach God with a humble heart in order to find the path he has placed before us.

Not our way, but his way forward. That sounds easy, but most of the time, it’s not. We like to be in control; we want to do things our way. I get annoyed even when my husband doesn’t put his shoes back in the right spot! I have a hard time remembering that I’m not supposed to be directing this ship all on my own. I am supposed to be leaning on the guiding Holy Spirit to show me how to live each day I am gifted.

One way to help remember that God is our guide is to create rhythms that include him in your day. Wake up and pray. Get in the car and worship. Sit for lunch and pause. End the day with devotion. Whatever works for you! Just be intentional about stopping and considering God’s way for each day.

In my life, I feel God’s gentle lead in the simple moments. It’s a nagging thought that pushes me to action. It’s an open door that I didn’t expect to find. It’s a sense of peace on how to move forward that allows me to feel confident. It’s the truths of the Bible nudging my heart to do things that I wouldn’t ever want to do on my own, such as apologize or hold my words so as not to offend. God’s leading is something we have to practice following. We have to open our hearts to Him, and over time, it becomes more and more natural to seek Him first over our selfish desires.

Let’s pray:

Father, I need you to help me know your way and find your path. I need your wisdom for today’s decisions. I want to live your way, not my way. Show me how to create a rhythm in my days that includes you. Help me embrace times of holy pauses so I can connect with your spirit before I tackle the next thing. Forgive me for my pride, which says I can do it my way without you! Let me live with a humble heart that accepts that you know better and that your way is better. Thank you for being faithful in providing the wisdom we need for every circumstance. Amen.

Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is encouraging others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for Your Nightly Prayer, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, Your Daily Prayer, and more. She has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com, Biblestudytools.com, and Christianity.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God's Heart of Love for Mommas, alongside her husband’s companion devotional, Shepherd. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram.

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