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Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.

Proverbs 23:12

I remember being motivated to be one of those “good” Christians back in high school. I had just started to get diligent with reading my Bible, and I thought that I would study the book of Proverbs. I opened to the first chapter and read, to fear God is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1:7).

Then, I closed my Bible and was very confused. Why would God want me to fear Him? That verse puzzled me for many years until I heard a pastor say that to fear God means to take Him seriously. Take his word seriously, take his love seriously, and take his promises seriously.

The book of Proverbs is known as a book of advice. Get wisdom, and if you don’t have it, ask God for it, and it will be given to you. How do we apply wisdom to our lives? By inviting God into our everyday situations, big or small, before we act. Then, wait on Him (leaving space) to show you what to do or give you peace about how to go about it. 

To get to this level of comfort with God, we must get used to hanging out with Him, in His word (the Bible), in prayer, and sitting in a listening posture. We must try to quiet all other noises around us and tune our ears to the Holy Spirit. Scripture says that the Holy Spirit searches the deepest parts of God and the deepest parts of our thoughts (2 Corinthians 2:10). So, as we spend more time with God and invite him into the details of our lives, God communicates to us through the Holy Spirit to show us how to apply His word to our everyday lives.

Next Steps

Do you have a daily rhythm for meeting with God? For some, that looks like getting up early and reading the Bible with their first cup of coffee. For others, it looks like going for a walk outside in the middle of the day and listening to the Bible app. Perhaps it’s a few moments at the end of the day to reflect on how God showed up throughout your day. Spend time reflecting on what might be best for your schedule and personality, and ask God to show you His best for you.

Already have a daily rhythm to meet with God? Have you ever spent time in silence as a part of that rhythm? It can feel intimidating at first, but you can start small with just a few minutes. As you grow comfortable with this practice, gradually add a minute at a time.