The Gain of Wisdom

If suffering produces wisdom, what do we use that wisdom for? Our wisdom can best be used in the development of our heart, the continual process of finding what is meaningful and important. Proverbs 1:7 tells us "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Our first step in gaining knowledge is fearing the Lord. Fear does not mean to be afraid of the Lord. The word fear here references a deep respect for God and to be in awe and have reverence for His power and authority.

I took this fear literally for the majority of my life. I lived the first 32 years of my life afraid I was constantly doing things wrong in God's eyes. I was afraid of His judgement. I pretty much felt like what is the point, I am constantly sinning and doing things wrong. I went to church my entire life but never understood who God really was. I had taken verses like this at face value, but never understood what they really meant. That is until I opened my Bible and surrounded myself with loving and knowledgeable people who taught me how to dig a little deeper.

I know the Bible can be hard to understand and that we all have questions for God. We can gain so much more than knowledge when we take the time to understand who God is and what His purpose is for us. In my experience, anything that comes easy usually isn't very worth while. It may take a little work, but what that work produces is eye-opening. I would rather put the work in, in anything that I do, than be a fool because I don't want to continue to learn and grow.