In what ways can we seek God's wisdom in difficult times like Job? Setting the scene in Job 17:4 “You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them.” (Job 17:4) Job recognizes that true understanding is in God’s hands. His friends’ counsel has failed because the Lord has withheld insight from them. From this single verse we learn that: - Wisdom is a divine gift, not a human achievement. - God’s withholding of insight can be a test for all involved. - In suffering, the greatest need is not quick relief but God-given perspective. What Job’s experience teaches about seeking wisdom - Acknowledge our dependence: Like Job, admit that only God opens the mind (cf. Luke 24:45). - Stay honest before God: Job poured out his confusion without pretension (Job 7:11). - Refuse counterfeit counsel: His friends’ logic sounded spiritual but lacked revelation (Job 13:4). - Wait for God’s timing: Insight may not come immediately, yet God will speak (Job 38:1). Practical ways to seek God’s wisdom in hard seasons 1. Humble asking • “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) 2. Immersion in Scripture • “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6) • Daily reading aligns our thoughts with His revealed will. 3. Honest prayer and listening silence • “Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3) 4. Cultivating godly fear • “Behold, the fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.” (Job 28:28) 5. Fellowship with the wise • “Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days.” (Proverbs 19:20) • Seek believers whose lives display fruit, not merely opinions. 6. Obedient steps with what you already know • “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) 7. Patience under God’s hand • Job’s story spans chapters of silence before God finally answers; waiting is part of the process. Encouragement from related passages - Psalm 119:18—God must open our eyes to behold wondrous things in His law. - Psalm 73:16-17—Perspective shifted only when Asaph entered God’s sanctuary. - Ephesians 1:17—Paul prays that believers receive “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” - Romans 11:33—Even unanswered questions lead us to worship: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” Living it out today - Begin each day confessing your need for divine insight. - Saturate mind and heart with Scripture before seeking opinions. - Keep short accounts with God; unconfessed sin clouds understanding. - Surround yourself with proven believers who elevate God’s Word above personal theories. - Expect God to speak—maybe through a verse, a sermon, a providential circumstance, or a quiet conviction. - When clarity delays, remember that God’s wisdom is often packaged in perseverance; enduring by faith becomes part of His answer. God alone opens minds and hearts. Like Job, we persevere in trust, confident that the One who sometimes withholds understanding will, in His perfect time, supply exactly what we need. |
    |