I believe I’ve come to know something about you in our time here together. Now there’s a lot of you that is still a mystery to me, but this one thing I have come to know … You truly want to do the right thing. You want to make the right decisions. You want to go down the right path. You really WANT to, but you’re still questioning how. How do you know you’re making the right decision? How do you know for sure which way to go?

Isn’t that where you are? Your heart is in it, but you’re not sure your head is getting the right signals so you don’t know if you can trust your own thoughts.

The truth is, it’s a fine line between “God told me to do this” and “I’m doing this because I think it’s a good idea.” Some of y’all want to up and quit your job and you are waiting for one sure prompting from the Holy Spirit and you will gladly walk out that door. But your emotions make it hard to differentiate between a prompting from the Holy Spirit and a hot headed moment of emotion.

Some of y’all are making deals with God. God, if you’ll give me this sign, I’ll be obedient. God, when I randomly open my bible, whatever scripture I read first is my sign from you and it will be my confirmation. God, the first song that plays is my direct message from you. I’m listening! God, if you will speak to me in my dream. God, if you will just open another door. God, if you will slam this door. Girl, what hoop are you creating for God to jump through today to speak to you?

Now, before you shrink away in embarrassment because that’s what you’ve been doing, let me first tell you I’ve done that a whole lot in my life. A LOT. And do you want to know what I think? I think God’s just glad his girls are talking to him about it all. God’s glad we’re coming to him with our questions. I’m pretty sure hoops don’t bother our great big God. But what he wants to show you is he’s WAYYYYY BIGGER than those hoops you’ve created for him to jump through.

This weekend I began studying the book of Proverbs. A proverb by definition is a short statement giving advice. So, this is an entire book in our Bible of advice on life. This advice is being given by Solomon. Solomon is the son of David (remember David, former shepherd boy who defeated the giant Goliath and became a great king). Solomon became king after his father, but he felt inadequate for his job at only 20 years old.

So, what do you do when you feel inadequate and you don’t know how to do the things you must do now? YOU ASK GOD FOR WISDOM. And this is the first lesson of Solomon, he asked God. 1 Kings 3: 7-12, Solomon prays, “Now, Lord my God, you have made me king, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. Give me an understanding heart so that I can know the difference between right and wrong.” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom and said, “I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!” In the next chapter, 1 Kings 4: 29-31, we read, “God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. He was wiser than anyone else.”

So, this man, this man who felt inadequate for his job, this man who admitted he didn’t know anything but sought God for wisdom, this is the man who wrote the book of Proverbs. The man in whom God was very pleased for his request of wisdom and in turn made him wiser than anyone else, this is who is writing these short statements of advice in Proverbs.

Solomon’s very first lesson to us is to ask God for wisdom! God’s not disappointed that you don’t have this all figured out on your own. He’s not shaking his head because your head is still confused over this. No. God is pleased when we ask him for the same thing Solomon did. “Lord, give me an understanding heart so I can know the difference between right and wrong.”

Start there. That’s your step 1!

Now, let’s dig into Proverbs 2, the page of my Bible where I have written in bold letters ‘HOW TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.” Y’all this is a valuable page in your Bible! The man who God gifted with more wisdom than anyone else is telling us how to make the right decisions from God. Since I know that’s what you really want, I know this is your answer!

I will be reading the first 11 verses of Proverbs 2 from several different translations. I’m using a mixture of New Living, New International, The Message and The Passion Translations to help us understand precisely how we make the right decision.

First comes a question, “Will you treasure God’s wisdom?”

Let’s pause right there. You’re asking God to help you make the right decision, but when he shows you will you treasure it? Will you accept it, trust in it, and act on it? Really, will you? Or are you just pretending here? God knows the difference between his girl checking boxes to get her own way and his girl who is truly willing to do in faith what he shows her to do.

Keep reading. “Will you treasure God’s wisdom? Then and only then will you acquire it. Train your heart to listen when God speaks and open your spirit wide to expand your discernment. If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and search for it in hidden places like hidden treasure, then you will find the true knowledge of God. Wisdom is a gift from a generous God. Every word he speaks is full of revelation and becomes a fountain of understanding within you. HIS WORD brings true knowledge and insight. With THIS wisdom you will be able to choose the right road and decide what is good and fair. You will understand what is right. For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will become a good friend to your soul. Sound judgment will stand guard over you, discretion will protect you, and understanding will watch over you as the Lord promised.”

A man who asked God for wisdom and became wiser than anyone else is now telling you and I how to make the right decisions in our life. He is giving us divine direction.

Pray, “Lord, give me an understanding heart so I can know the difference between right and wrong.” Treasure and trust God’s wisdom. Train your heart to listen when God speaks. Practice small steps of radical obedience.

God is speaking to you. The problem is, you’ve been dismissing it as nonsense so you’ve never realized the difference between your own impulses and God’s promptings. Practice responding in obedience to what you believe may be God’s promptings and see for yourself the difference. Honey, if you don’t practice you don’t grow.

You have been given the treasure of God’s word. Within it is every answer you seek. How do I know that for sure? Because God’s word is LIVING. It is not limited to the typed words on the pages. However, if you read, study, and deposit those typed words on the pages into your heart, they become a FOUNTAIN OF UNDERSTANDING WITHIN YOU. There’s only one way you get that fountain of understanding inside of you … you put his living word in!

I know it feels frustrating to come to God with specific questions and feel like everything in your Bible is totally not relative to your situation, but my sister, don’t be discouraged. You’re putting that living word in and it doesn’t just sit stagnant in you. It becomes a FOUNTAIN OF UNDERSTANDING. Go back to our scripture. It says this fountain of understanding from his word brings true knowledge and insight. This is what you’ve been looking for! This is how you understand what is right. This is how you know what to do.

Make your deposit of his living word today. Search for his word like a hidden treasure. Wisdom is here for you. Guidance is here for you. Discernment is here for you.

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