6/9/10

Widgets

Wisdom is Like Protein for the Soul

Most believers are spiritual consumers of sugar and carbs.
They want something now for the moment.

God’s wisdom is more than simply hearing the Holy Spirit say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. In my last post I revealed how the Lord had given me direction, strategy, and foresight as I worked in the world of legislative politics. I needed more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from Him. I needed to understand beyond what I understood in the natural in the political atmosphere in which I worked. Part of your positioning for gaining wisdom is to understand the dimension of wisdom.

Many Christians who pray for wisdom are usually expecting a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. They are not seeking or expecting strategy, expanded vision, and foresight beyond the veil of the temporal realm. As they pray they often become frustrated when the Lord does not give them that simple answer. They are waiting for a prophetic word or the small quiet voice of the Spirit to say ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ for their question.

If you want as ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the Lord you are not seeking wisdom, you are seeking a decision. Wisdom is much deeper than yea or nay, right or left. Wisdom carries with it a deeper understanding. It is embedded with spiritual longevity and depth that nourishes your thoughts, your decisions, your strategies, and your influence in leadership. It carries value beyond a day, a week, a month because it is given by the Lord to undergird your decisions, your prayers, and your leadership beyond the day, the week, or the next month.

Paul told the church in Corinth when he was speaking of Godly wisdom that ‘the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God’ (1 Cor. 2:10). The ‘deep things of God’ are long lasting. The deep well of the Spirit never runs dry. When understood and embraced the wisdom of God stabilizes and sustains us over time.

The Father’s wisdom for your soul is like protein for your body. It takes more time to digest protein but it sustains the body for a longer time.

Most believers are spiritual consumers of sugar and carbs. They want something now for the moment. They want a word from the Lord today so they can make it today. They want encouragement today so they can survive today. The Lord will provide a word of encouragement for a day, but because they have a short term request, they get short term supply. They get the immediate satisfaction of getting a ‘word from the Lord’, but they didn’t get wisdom --they simply got a word that, like sugar and carbs will sustain for a short time, because their perspective was for a short time need.

In God’s goodness and grace He gives them what they ask for. He supplies the immediate need. If only they had asked for wisdom! If only they had asked for spiritual protein to digest and nourish for a longer time. If only they had searched for the deep things of God!! He would have given it!!!

Now, don’t get me wrong. We all occasionally need a ‘word from the Lord’ today to get us through the day, but that should not be our primary perspective as leaders in the body of Christ. Ministry leaders often complain about people in their church or ministry who are constantly needy, constantly looking for a word from the Lord, or constantly limited to a short term perspective.

Leaders; it starts with you. You must value spiritual protein over spiritual carbs. You must value and search the deep things of God. You must desire a long term, deeper understanding and strategy that go beyond your current ministry crisis. As you model valuing, seeking, and searching wisdom that sustains for the long haul you will see those who follow seek and obtain that same wisdom.

2 comments:

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Thank you for this much needed message. Seeking a yes or no from God in the moment of question is something I've done before. This post impresses on me not only the wisdom in seeking His counsel with an open mind and for the long term but also seeking it His wisdom in times when no specific counsel is needed. Just to nourish my soul with His guidance and peace for the times ahead.

Harvey Wittmier said...

Thank you Cindy! Your comment encourages me to keep on blogging.

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