This week Dr. Evans continued his exploration of the benefits emerging from a growing, relational knowledge of God, discussing the benefit of “spiritual wisdom.” He noted that our lives frequently resemble the curvy, precipitous Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) that runs much of the length of the state of California. We travel down the narrow, treacherous road of life, fearful of the consequences that wrong turns can bring our way. Spiritual wisdom is God’s way of handling the twists and turns of navigating the journey of life. How do we access this spiritual wisdom for our own individual journeys? Dr. Evans suggested that we follow three signposts to help us gain the benefit of spiritual wisdom that will help us wisely navigate through the twists and turns of life as we face the tough decisions that will inevitably come our way.
1. Spiritual wisdom is rooted in our knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17). Paul’s prayer for the Christians at Ephesus was that God would grant them “a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” Paul then described this greater knowledge of God as knowing “the hope of His calling…the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” and “the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-20). Dr. Evans defined spiritual wisdom as decision making based on God’s point of view. As we come to know God more intimately, we acquire His view of our circumstances and access His spiritual wisdom for our decisions.
2. Like hidden treasure, we must search for spiritual wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-8; Job 28:12-28). Proverbs 2 records Solomon’s exhortation to his son to “seek after wisdom as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures” (2:4). Dr. Evans noted that we often lack discernment in our decision making because we are too lazy to take the time to seek discernment for what God would have us to do. For Solomon, the goal of this seeking and digging for wisdom was to find that “the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (2:6). In other words, spiritual wisdom is found as we seek God’s point of view (the knowledge of God) by studying His Word. The Holy Spirit then applies this knowledge of Scripture to the specific circumstances and questions we encounter as we journey through life. As we seek God’s wisdom by studying and memorizing Scripture, we will find, as the Psalmist did, that God’s word is a “lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).
3. Spiritual wisdom does not mix God’s point of view with man’s point of view (James 3:13-18). In the letter of James, we find that that there are two types of wisdom: an “earthly” wisdom and the “wisdom from above” (James 3:15-17). Earthly wisdom is limited by humanity’s own sinfulness and finiteness; however, the wisdom from above—God’s wisdom—is “pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (James 3:17). Many people mix God’s wisdom with an earthly wisdom that is comprised of opinions from family, friends, television, and magazines; however, to gain the “wisdom that is from above,” we must go to God’s Word and access His point of view.
In conclusion, Dr. Evans noted that on the road of life we will often come to intersections, situations in which we will feel lost, perplexed by what direction to take and which decisions to make. If, however, we are continually growing in our knowledge of God by studying His Word, we will be given the benefit of the “spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Ephesians 2:17) that will equip us to proceed in the right direction—God’s direction—for every twist and turn that we encounter.
