Black Women Have It Going On

Good morning from Colorado! By now, you may be wondering what a jawbone, a toy train, a movie, and listening have to do with 15 Minutes with God. Well, I’m discovering that God sometimes takes ordinary things and turns them into lessons we didn’t know we needed. This week has reminded me that God can use anything to get our attention. But there is another part of the process we can’t overlook: just because we’ve heard something doesn’t mean we’ve heard wisdom. That’s where discernment comes in.

I’ve learned that being a good listener doesn’t mean I have to accept everything someone tells me. Listening gives me the opportunity to consider what has been said. Discernment helps me decide what deserves to be carried forward. There have been times when someone has given me advice I didn’t agree with, and times when someone told me something I didn’t want to hear but later realized I needed to hear. Those are two very different things. Wisdom isn’t always comfortable, and it doesn’t always come from the person we expected to teach us. But we shouldn’t assume that everything that sounds good is good for us.

Think about how easy it is to accept something simply because we like the person saying it. We may agree with a friend because we trust them. We may accept advice because it sounds good. We may even repeat something because everyone around us is saying the same thing. But popularity isn’t proof of wisdom, and agreement isn’t always confirmation. Sometimes we have to step back and ask, “Is this actually good for me? Does this line up with God’s Word? What kind of fruit will this produce in my life?” Those questions can save us from making decisions based solely on emotion, pressure, or somebody else’s opinion.

And this is where I believe our relationship with God becomes so important. James tells us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God for it. I love that because it acknowledges something we don’t always want to admit: sometimes we don’t know. Sometimes we’re confused. Sometimes our emotions are loud. Sometimes we want an answer so badly that we’re tempted to accept the first one that comes along. But God doesn’t ask us to figure everything out on our own. He invites us to ask Him for wisdom.

The Takeaway for Us

1. Listen before you respond.
You don’t have to agree with everything you hear, but you should give yourself enough time to understand it.

2. Test what you hear.
Ask whether the advice, idea, or direction lines up with God’s Word and produces good fruit.

3. Ask God for wisdom.
There is no shame in saying, “Lord, I don’t know what to do. Please give me wisdom.”

The Call to Action

Today, think about something you’ve been told recently.

Maybe it was advice.

Maybe it was criticism.

Maybe it was encouragement.

Maybe it was something you saw online or heard in a conversation.

Before you accept it—or reject it—take it to God.

Ask:

“Lord, what part of this, if any, do You want me to receive?”

You don’t have to swallow everything someone hands you.

And you don’t have to throw everything away because you don’t like the person who handed it to you.

Listen. Consider. Pray. Discern.

Then decide what deserves a place in your life.

Scripture

James 1:5 (KJV)

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not.”

What a promise.

God doesn’t shame us because we don’t know.

He tells us to ask.

15 Minutes with God

Father, give me wisdom.

Help me become a better listener without becoming someone who simply accepts everything I hear.

Give me discernment to recognize what is good for me and courage to walk away from what isn’t.

When wisdom comes from an unexpected source, help me consider the message without allowing my feelings about the messenger to make the decision for me.

When I’m confused, slow me down.

When my emotions are loud, quiet my spirit.

When I don’t know what to do, remind me that I can ask You.

Help me listen.

Help me discern.

Help me choose wisely.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

I’ll see you tomorrow for another 15 Minutes with God.