Your word is a lamp for my feet,a light on my path. –Psalm 119:105

Seek God's Wisdom

Any time you face a decision, you will almost always be able to find conflicting advice. One friend might tell you to go north, another south. One will tell you to stick it out at your less-than-perfect job; another will tell you that you need to quit that job and trust God for another one. As we make decisions, we know that God is wise, all-knowing, and has our best interest at heart. But what if God seems silent? What should we do then? The primary way that God speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible. Its principles and commands set clear boundaries to keep us on the right path. He guides us through His Word. Within the parameters of God’s will, we have the freedom to make wise decisions. This week, let's discuss some principles for finding God's wisdom as we make day-to-day decisions.

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Open your group with prayer. This should be a brief, simple prayer in which you invite God to guide you as you meet and to give you insight and wisdom. You can pray for specific requests at the end of the meeting or stop momentarily to pray if a particular situation comes up during your discussion. Then, begin your time together by using the following questions and activities to get people talking.

• What are some of the goofiest ways people (maybe even you) make decisions? Have you ever flipped a coin or shaken a Magic 8 Ball to decide what to do?

• When you were growing up, which of the following would describe your interactions with the Bible:

1.  I read it (or heard it read to me) daily.2. I memorized verses from it and heard about it often.3. I only heard stories from it at church but never read or heard about it otherwise.4. I rarely (or never) read or talked about the Bible.5. My mom or dad read it, but I did not.

Share your story

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watch the videoWatch the video for this session now. Use the space provided below to record any key thoughts, questions, and things you want to remember or follow up on. After watching the video, read the Scripture and discuss the questions in the Hear God's Story section and in the Create a New Story section.

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Use the following questions to guide your discussion of the teaching and stories you just experienced and the Bible passage below.

READ JAMES 1:2-8.Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 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. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

• According to this passage, what happens to us when we face trials? Do some of our trials come about because of our bad decisions? How can those trials help us make better decisions?

• What promises do we find in this passage?

• How does this passage tell us we can access God’s wisdom?

• What do you think it means to be “double-minded”? Have you ever felt yourself being “double-minded”? Explain.

hear god,'s story

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In this section, talk about how you will apply the wisdom you’ve learned from the teaching and Bible study. Then think about practical steps you can take in the coming week to live out what you’ve learned.

• Tell about a time you were able to receive wisdom from God’s Word about a decision you faced. What happened?

• If you are struggling to make a decision, who is someone wise you would consult? Why are they so helpful to you?

• How prone are you to making hasty or impulsive decisions? What have you learned about the importance of time when it comes to decision-making?

• In the video, Jeff talked about how God sometimes does the exceptional and makes His voice and direction clear to us in a distinct way. Has that ever happened to you? How did you know it was God's voice?

• This week, how will you interact with the Bible? Can you commit to spending time in daily prayer or study of God’s Word (use the Daily Devotions section to guide you)? Tell the group how you plan to follow Jesus this week, and then, at your next meeting, talk about your progress and challenges.

• Last week, we talked about people who might respond to an invitation to join this small group in the Circles of Life exercise. Have group members give an update on how those relationships are progressing—did they talk to people they identified? Did they invite them? Did they continue to pray for them?

• Spend a few moments in prayer. Are there any big decisions anyone is facing that they would like to ask for God's wisdom on? Invite everyone to share but don’t force the issue. Be sure to write prayer requests on your Prayer and Praise Report on page 94.

create a new story

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Want to go deeper? Select a few verses and try paraphrasing them: writing them in your own words. If you like, share them with the group the next time you meet.

READ EPHESIANS 5:15-18.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. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

• What does this passage tell us about God’s will?

• This passage sets up several pairs of contrasting ideas (for example, the first is “not as unwise but as wise”). What are the other contrasting pairs? Make two lists: one of the things we should do and the other of the things we should not do.

• What would it look like to live “not as unwise but as wise”?

• What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? How would being Spirit-filled influence our decision-making?

READ JAMES 3:13-18.Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 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. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

• What biblical values does this passage talk about?

• How would having these values influence our decision-making?

• How might “envy and selfish ambition” influence our decisions? What does it look like to “harbor envy in your heart”?

READ PROVERBS 26:11-12.As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

• Why do you think the writer of Proverbs used such a startling image to make his point?

• Think about a time when you “repeated your folly”—perhaps in a relationship, at work, or with a bad habit or addiction. How can you shift from repeating folly to God’s wisdom?

For Additional study

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READ PSALM 119:97-98.Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.

REFLECTWhat does this verse tell us will happen when we meditate on God’s Word?

PSALM 119:99-100.I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.

REFLECTWhat specific situation do you need wisdom for right now? How can you gain wisdom and understanding?

READ PSALM 119:101.I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.

REFLECTWhat evil path tempts you most? (It may not be blatant sin but could be something more subtle like selfishness or greed.) Ask God for help in keeping your feet from that path.

READ PSALM 119:102.I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me.

REFLECTSpend some time just thanking God for being your teacher, for caring about your life, and for guiding you.

READ PSALM 119:103.How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

REFLECTDo God’s words seem sweet to you? You may want to pull out your Bible and “indulge” in God’s sweet words by reading all of Psalm 119.

READ PSALM 119:104.I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

REFLECTWhat is one thing that you’ve gained understanding about as a result of this study so far?

daily devotionsUse these daily devotions to go deeper into this week’s topic. On the first day, you may want to read over all the verses for the week to get the “big picture” of the passage. Each day, read the verse given. Take your time. Ask God to speak to you through His Word. Notice which word or phrase stands out to you. Then, take some time to journal your response back to Him. Listen to what God wants to say to you through His Word, and respond to Him as you meditate on the truths of Scripture.

You may want to copy a verse on a card and tape it somewhere in your line of sight, such as your car’s dashboard or the kitchen table. Or text it to yourself! Think about it when you sit at red lights or while you’re eating a meal. Reflect on what God is saying to you through these words.

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