Cake-Baking Wisdom
By Tara Johnson
"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
There are times when adversity overwhelms us and we feel we're drowning. Often, we stumble through our circumstances, desperate to keep our heads above water. We make snap decisions and do our best to muddle through on our own wit and resources. The problem with doing things our way is that we miss out on God's wisdom ... the path that leads to peace.
Say someone offers to teach you how to make an Italian cream cake. They explain the ingredients, detail every minutia of the recipe and even demonstrate how to create it. Yet when it's time to bake it yourself, you say, “I’m not really in the mood to put flour in this cake. I’ll use oatmeal instead.” You switch milk for water. Cinnamon for baking soda. Sugar for salt. The cake will be a disaster, and you'll wonder, “Where did I go wrong?”
We can’t substitute God’s wisdom for our own without making a royal mess.
The path to wisdom starts with God. What you and I think is not found anywhere between the binding of our Bibles.
Whether we’re experiencing a time of peace or the worst crisis of our lives, we can find direction and make wise choices when the path is unclear. All we need to do is ask God for wisdom.
In James' day, believers had been scattered and persecuted. They’d lost their possessions and homes and faced an uncertain future. James wanted them to know they could not only survive but endure joyfully by asking God for guidance and to see things through His eyes.
When disaster strikes, we should seek God’s wisdom. He gives generously to those who ask.
Tara Johnsonis a contributor to Wholly Loved Ministries’a speaker, and lover of stories. She travels to churches, ladies retreats and prisons to share how God led her into freedom after spending years living shackled as a people-pleasing preacher's kid. Tara’s debut novel Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale)earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, as well as numerous other accolades. She has articles published in magazines and has been a featured guest on radio, television and podcasts. Tara is represented by Janet Grant of Books & Such Literary Agency. She, her husband, and children live in Arkansas. Visit her online at: www.TaraJohnsonStories.com.
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Originally published Friday, 03 May 2019.
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