If you could pray for just one thing every single day, what would it be? Maybe for more love, more joy, an extra measure of patience, or the gift of peace?

Years ago, I began praying for wisdom. I knew knowledge of God’s Word was important, but realized without application it was just knowledge…just information. I knew I needed to apply this knowledge in order to gain wisdom and began asking the Lord for help.

Some scripture I pored over in my quest for wisdom were…

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” -James 1:5

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” -Psalm 111:10

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” -Proverbs 1:7

“For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” -Proverbs 8:11

As I prayed for wisdom, I did my best to apply the knowledge I was learning through sermons, Bible Study, challenging books, and during my preparation for speaking.

I was making an intentional effort to be obedient and seek wisdom and thought I was doing a pretty good job at it. Then about a year ago, our 6:15 a.m. Bible Study memorized James 3:17 and my perspective changed.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

Wow! This verse rocked my thinking and gave me a better understanding of all wisdom entails.

“First of all pure…” Was I choosing purity in what I thought, what I watched, what I read, in how I spoke? The honest answer is no. I still have work to do. Pure is an adjective, defined as, “unmixed with any other matter.” In thinking about the word, the Lord brought Proverbs 4:23 to mind. “Above all else, GUARD YOUR HEART, for everything you do flows from it”.

The verse continues, “…then peace-loving.” Did I desire peace and unity or was I causing division with words and actions in my relationships and other areas of my life?

“…considerate.” This word is defined as “careful not to cause inconvenience or hurt to others.” Synonyms include attentive, thoughtful, concerned, helpful, and patient. I had never equated being considerate with wisdom until being challenged by James 3:17.

“…submissive.” This word is defined as, “ready to conform to the authority or will of others.” I won’t get into a theological discussion because I’m not qualified and I have no desire for a debate, but I do know this – when you do not have to always be right or have the last word, it changes how you think, act and speak.

“…full of mercy and good fruit.” Being merciful and bearing good fruit is self-explanatory. Knowing this is part of gaining the wisdom that comes from Heaven challenges me to extend grace and strive to be a blessing to every person I am with.

“…impartial.” This means to be fair in every area of our lives: our relationships, our words, our actions, and our decisions. My life verse for as long as I can remember is Micah 6:8. Every day my goal is to “be kind, be fair, and to walk humbly with God.” There are days when I fail to meet this goal. I am a work in progress and am thankful for the grace of God and His new mercies every morning!

“…sincere.” This word means to act genuinely and free of pretense or deceit.

To have wisdom, EACH of these words must be practiced. When I began praying for wisdom, I had no idea what I was signing up for. I now pray for wisdom with a completely new understanding of what it means to be wise.

1. Memorize James 3:17. I typed out the verse and put it in various places around my house and in my car. Memorizing is harder for me as I’ve grown older, but it is still so important to hide God’s Word in my heart.
2. If you don’t have a life verse, pray about choosing one. It may be one you focus on for a year and then choose another. Whatever the verse is, strive to live it out every day!
3. Pray for wisdom and commit to helping and encouraging others in their quest for wisdom.