Tuesday, October 20, 2026

James 1:5 (ESV)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Reflection

There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from pretending you have it figured out. You smile and nod in the meeting, you give advice you’re not sure of, you make decisions in the dark and call it confidence. But underneath, you know the truth: you don’t know what you’re doing. Not really. Not fully. James doesn’t scold you for this. He simply names it. You lack wisdom. All of you do. And then he points you somewhere.

What strikes me most about this verse is the character of the God we’re pointed to. He doesn’t give wisdom reluctantly, counting out His patience like a limited resource. He gives liberally, generously, without keeping score of how many times you’ve had to ask before. And He gives without reproach. No eye-roll. No “shouldn’t you know this by now?” No making you feel small for needing Him again today.

This is grace in a very practical form. You’re not meant to carry the weight of perfect understanding on your own shoulders. You were never designed to be self-sufficient in wisdom any more than you were designed to be self-sufficient in righteousness. Christ is your wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30), and in Him you have a Father who delights to meet you in your confusion, not despite it but right in the middle of it.

So ask. Honestly, humbly, repeatedly. He is not tired of you yet.

Lord, I don’t know what I’m doing today. Meet me in my confusion and give generously, as You’ve promised. I need Your wisdom, not my own.

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Sources & attribution

Devotional from Morning Selah.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.