“Worship our way above the fray” was what I heard as I was praying for a friend this morning. To state the obvious, we have been in a season of great contention, and discord. Wednesday I sensed an unsettled calm come over me, and I believe it goes far beyond just me. Many people around the world are asking questions and the answers may seem confusing. This is a great opportunity to recalibrate a bit.
This is a time that calls for great wisdom and discernment. I believe discernment is a facet of wisdom.
If we want great wisdom and discernment we need to worship our way above the fray, because wisdom comes from above. James tells us in the first chapter of his epistle: “5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” From my personal experience I have found Our Maker incredibly eager to dispense His perfect wisdom when we ask.
To receive it, however, there is a condition:
“6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”
James may sound harsh. We may feel accusation from the enemy. Yes, even from the Word. But it is not accusation. That feeling is conviction from Holy Spirit. It is not condemnation, but an invitation to a clearer alignment, that includes wisdom and discernment.
The door to wisdom and discernment is wide open to us as we worship our way above the fray of the circumstances clamoring all around us. This goes back to the “glance and gaze” principle. Maintaining or fixing our gaze on our Creator shifts us. It draws us into position to receive wisdom and discernment. It is from that position that we are then able to glance at our circumstances, not gaze. In turn, we easily lift whatever our circumstances are to the throne of grace.
It is the light from the throne of grace that transforms. I suspect that light transforms us first. Our circumstances may or may not need transformation once we have Creator’s perspective on them. James 1 again: “17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
Let us worship our way above the fray, whatever your fray, in Spirit and in truth. Let’s take the promise of James 1:5 to heart. Personally, I am asking not only for wisdom, but an exponential growth in all dimensions of wisdom and discernment. I hope you will join me in worshiping our way there.
Now available in Kindle format and from all major distributors:
Amazon; Barns and noble; Christian Books; Wipfandstock.com
