Discernment and Wisdom

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Ephesians 5:15–17 NIV

Jesus demonstrated how we can stay safe and protected by not acting presumptuously or irresponsibly, but by leaning in to God’s wisdom. When the devil tried to tempt Him to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, quoting Scripture to say that angels were supposed to bear Him up, our Lord Jesus responded by saying, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God’” (Matt. 4:7 NLT). Likewise, let us not test the Lord by making irresponsible and unwise decisions that ignore the written Word of God or the godly counsel spoken over our lives.

When you are led by His wisdom, the Lord can protect you from making unwise decisions. For example, someone may offer you “the investment opportunity of a lifetime.” On the surface, everything might seem to check out and it may appear to be a legitimate opportunity that is not to be missed. But before you rush to commit to anything, can I encourage you to first ask the Lord for His wisdom and leading?

There is a principle we can learn from in Isaiah 11, where it says of the Lord that “the spirit of wisdom and understanding” will rest on Him, and “He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear” (Isa. 11:2–3 NASB). You see, there is a discernment and wisdom from the Lord that goes beyond looking at the outward appearance of a matter. When you call on Him, He will answer you and give you an answer of peace. If you don’t feel a peace to proceed, don’t allow anyone to pressure you into making a decision you will regret!

This devotional is adapted from the book The Prayer of Protection Devotional—Daily Strategies for Living Fearlessly in Dangerous Times.