The Beginning of Wisdom

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Oh, how we need wisdom. Especially in this fast-paced world that we live in, with so many things calling for our attention. Calling for our time, and for our hearts.

I recently purchased a brand new book, The Best Yes, by Lysa Terkeurst, as I was drawn to it's message: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands. The first four chapters that I have read already have held so much wisdom, and now, this week, I am following along with an online study of this book. Click here if you'd like to join in with this six-week study ...

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Some of my favorite points from the first three chapters ...

"We must not confuse the command to love with the desire to please."
How often our decisions are based on wanting to please others, often being controlled by our desire to have approval from others. This is true for me, more often than I care to admit.

"The Best Yes is you playing your part."
In God's plan, He has a part for me to play - it is not doing everything, but it is doing my part.

"If we are to be Best Yes girls, we have to long for unbroken companionship with God. Unbroken companionship helps us hear His instruction so He can reveal His direction."
I love this! This is the key, isn't it - walking in close companionship with God so that we can hear His heart, His thoughts, His direction for us. His direction for me. Then the words of this verse from Isaiah 30 will be true for us ...

Whether you turn to the right or to the left,

your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

'This is the way; walk in it.'

(Isaiah 30:21)

"I have to change my approach to the way I make decisions."

The decisions we make dictate the schedules we keep.

The schedules we keep determine the lives we live.

The lives we live determine how we spend our souls.

(The Best Yes)

"I think it's important to understand this soul thing isn't about us ... It's giving voice to what otherwise just stays a quiet whisper locked inside. It's about letting out that cry of passion God entrusted to us. It's about letting it all the way out so as to touch others, help others, and bless others. To do this soul thing is actually the exact opposite of selfishness. Keeping it inside with no chance to bless others would be the selfish thing to do."

Life can become so very busy that we often neglect the things of our soul - our passions, our longings. I loved Lysa's explanation of how we must pay attention to these things, these things of the soul, that come from deep within us. Often we regard them as selfish things, but as we are walking in close companionship with God, these desires from deep within are an overflow of the way He has crafted us for His purposes. It is time that we set our souls free ... and how we spend our souls is, in part, determined by what we say 'yes' and what we say 'no' to.

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Yes, how we need wisdom in how we make decisions, how we live our lives, and how we spend our souls. There are so many voices to listen to, and the key - fear (or reverence) for God, having unbroken companionship/connection with Him.

The fear of the Lord

is the beginning of wisdom.

(Psalm 111:10)