“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).

~ We have all probably read James 1:5 or heard it somewhere and assumed that wisdom was a 1-click prayer request away. And yet we have also at times found ourselves praying for wisdom, and yet still found wisdom to be very far away, even after praying.

So, what happened? Or rather what unhappened? Why didn’t the wisdom arrive?

It is because wisdom doesn’t always work in a James 1:5 way. It also works in a 2 Timothy 2:5-7 way:

“An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” (2 Tim. 2:5-7)

I.e. sometimes wisdom comes by way of processing. As you process, it slowly arises like the dawn. Consider the case of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Of Daniel and friends, we are told the following:

“To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning” (Daniel 1:17).

It may seem like God just overnight, dropped wisdom in their heads. The context however shows that Daniel & friends were chosen to “enter the king’s service” in order to “be taught the language and literature of the Babylonians” (Dan. 1:4). Moreover Daniel 1:5 tells us that they underwent a three-year training period. 

So, they studied for 3 years.

Just looking at Daniel 1:17 may give the impression that God did a James 1:5 on them. The context however tells us that God really did a 2 Timothy 2:5-7 on them.

Also . . . Isn’t this just what God is like?

Shovel-Drop Wisdom: You are in a challenging situation and pray for money, and God does not drop bags of money on your doorstep. Instead, He drops a shovel into your life and tells you to go work. Yes – there are stories, to wit, of God’s amazing provisions, but truth be told, those are one-off stories, that just simply circulate better than the shovel-drop stories.

So got wisdom? No. Then pray. But then also be prepared to do some spadework.

One last thing to consider. Why does God not always just drop wisdom in our heads?

If wisdom or anything comes easily, pride wells up.

If wisdom or anything comes hard, then it comes with sobriety, humility and is remembered better.