People can be funny about seasons. I know a gal who only drinks coffee in the winter. I want to tell her—with entirely too much enthusiasm—it’s a cup of coffee. Not a wool scarf. This is not a “white-shoes-after-Labor-Day” kind of thing. To every drink there is a season. For me, coffee is all of them.
Why is it we tend to put some things in a seasonal box where they don’t belong, and not include others that really do? For instance, some of us routinely make fitness seasonal. Personally, I’m forced to ever dread the season of sleeveless tops. My own seasonal fear.
Wisdom? It’s different. There’s no “out of season.” We’re not talking about worldly wisdom that’s not really wisdom at all, but a true understanding of life and all its happenings from God’s view. True wisdom is applying and living according to that understanding.
Prov. 3:21 tells us we should never let wisdom and understanding out of our sight. The next verse says “they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck,” (Prov. 3:22) Wool scarf? No, better. life! A few chapters later we read that those who find wisdom “find life and receive favor from the LORD,” (Prov. 8:35). Life full of His favor—that’s the sweet life.
Every day holds a new slate of decisions. How many creams in my coffee? Should I go to college? Can I wear that scarf this late in the season? Should I invest in that friendship? Should I marry that person? Which career should I choose? How should I invest my time today? My money? The choices can be absolutely overwhelming.
Not to worry, though. Your Heavenly Father cares about your decisions; He will be faithful to give you wisdom. Some of your answers are spelled out in black and white within the pages of His Word. Get to know Him through Scripture and many of those choices become crystal clear.
Earthly “wisdom” will tell you that you need to go with your gut. It says ask yourself how you “feel” about your choice. But feelings and emotions are up, down and all over the place. Boy, are they seasonal. You can’t trust them.
Trust in God, not in your own thoughts and emotions. Making a decision because it “feels right” leads countless people right into some incredibly dumb moves—often with devastating consequences.
Living in His wisdom, letting it become a natural part of how we walk out our faith, takes us to a safer place in life. Take a closer look at that Proverbs 3 passage:
“My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble,” (Prov. 3:21-23).
Struggling with a decision? Never neglect the discipline of seeking wisdom through the counsel of the Father Himself. Pray. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” And the psalmist said, “I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons,” (Ps. 16:7).
When your heart is filled with His Spirit, you can trust it in those night seasons.
For the record, I’ve heard the decision on whether or not we can wear white shoes in the “night seasons” is still up in the air.