Part 2.1: Pray: Seek wisdom from the source of all wisdom

You pray, not because you are a wimpy, helpless, crybaby who is so insecure you think you must depend on some invisible power in the sky to get you through the day. No, you pray because you have, or at least you desire, a personal relationship with God. You believe God lives and he is interested in your life. But more than that, you are convinced God wants a close relationship with you because he created you and he loves you.

As you live out your purpose for being on this planet, you will need help beyond the assistance you might get from friends, relatives, your education, your natural talents, etc. You are going to need real wisdom.

So, where do you go when you have unsolvable problems or questions that have no apparent answers? How do you find wisdom when you need it? The answer is to go to the font of all wisdom, God himself.

When he created you he gave you a variety of natural talents, gifts and passions, and he knows best where you can be most useful and find real joy.

He also knows what you have gone through to get this point in your life. He knows your hurts and joys, and your failures and successes. He knows both your strengths and weaknesses and how to take advantage of both in fulfilling your purpose in life.

Here is another reason you pray: for protection. It is possible the mission God will send you on could be dangerous. Think of the many people who place their lives on the line every day in West Africa as they fight the Ebola epidemic. Do you think they pray for protection?

Another reason you pray is because your life can take some crazy zigzags along the way. You will be tempted to take actions that may be contrary to your reason for living, unwise at best, or even morally wrong. When you get off the road, it is through prayer that you find your way back.

In short, you pray because you need God’s wisdom.

Here are five healthy habits that will lead you to receive God’s wisdom for your daily life:

Habit 1: Acknowledge the true source of wisdom. God has the answers you are looking for.

Habit 2: Ask for His wisdom. The Bible says “If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.” (James 1:5 MSG)

Habit 3: Grow your faith. Trust that God will answer you. You will be in a hurry, but God might take longer. He may also require you do something different than you originally planned.

Habit 4: Take action. Someone once said, “You can’t steer a parked car.” You have a real part in answering your prayers, so pray and move forward.

Habit 5: Keep praying. God’s wisdom will direct your path in ways that will surprise and bless you.

Remember, these are habits, not 9-1-1 calls for Heaven’s help. A habit is something that is done so often that it becomes almost involuntary. You do it because that is what you do. Pray without ceasing.