What God Taught Me This Week

Hi everyone! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic week so far. I’d love to hear how God has been ministering to you lately.

This week, I’ve been reading in James and have been really encouraged, as well as convicted, in my quiet time with God. On Monday, I was wrestling with some things, and when I started reading James chapter one, the fifth verse stuck out to me, which says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

I was curious to know what the word reproach means, so I looked it up and this is the definition I found - Reproach: address (someone) in such a way as to express disapproval or disappointment

I can sometimes feel like God gets frustrated or annoyed when I stumble in different areas, because I feel like I should know better. That’s why this verse and definition encouraged me so much. God isn’t angry or disappointed when I lack wisdom, as long as I know and acknowledge that I don’t have it all together. He knows I need Him. I might not know exactly what to do in a situation, at least right away, but that doesn’t mean God has left me to figure life out on my own.

That was the encouraging part of my time with Him. The convicting part was when I realized that I’ve been worried about decisions and what I’m going to do, but I’ve been forgetting to seek God with my whole heart. I’ve been forgetting that I have a Father in Heaven who knows me more than I know myself, that He knows what I need even before I ask. He is willing to lovingly guide me, if I allow Him to lead. He is willing to give me wisdom when I ask.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8

When we seek God, He will reveal Himself to us. We won’t fully understand everything we read in His Word. We might not fully grasp what He tries to teach us. But the more we seek Him, the more deeply we will know Him and the more we will come to understand who He is and how He calls us to live each day.

And as I’ve tried to seek Him this week, I’ve realized just how gentle and kind He is. I’ve realized just how true these verses are. He isn’t angry with us for how long it might take us to seek Him. The Enemy wants us to feel guilty about that because if we stay stuck in thinking about what we’re not doing, we will be held back from what we can do in life, in our relationship with God, in serving and loving others.  

Let’s seek God this week. He isn’t afraid of our questions or doubts. He isn’t afraid of our humanity. He’s waiting for us when we show up ready to learn more of who He is.

“Lord, thank you for your patience and kindness with us. Thank you that you’re always waiting for us to come to you and seek you. Thank you that we don’t have to live life on our own and that you give us strength to seek you. Help us to do that this week. Help us go to you when we’re worried about anything at all, when we’re trying to make decisions and need your wisdom, when we need your comfort. We don’t deserve such a loving Father, yet you love us anyway.”