Adulting Ain't Easy: A 7-Day Reading Plan for 20-SomethingsSample

When Life Doesn’t Come with a Manual

Your words are a flashlight to light the path ahead of me and keep me from stumbling. PSALM 119:105 TLB

Jennifer could not figure out why her vacuum wasn’t suctioning. It was only a few months old, but every time she plugged it in and cleaned her floors, her carpet looked just as dirty as it had before she vacuumed. There must be something wrong with the silly thing.

Finally, she called her uncle. He’d been fixing things her entire life. “Hi, Jenny!” her uncle answered. “Hi, Uncle Luke. My vacuum isn’t working. I can’t figure out what’s wrong.” “Did you read the instructions when you set it up?” her uncle asked kindly. Jennifer grimaced. “Um . . . kind of . . .” He laughed on the other end of the phone. “That could be your problem, honey. Bring it by, and I’ll see if I can fix it.” Instructions. Always good to read when you are trying to put something together!

Don’t you sometimes wish that life came with instructions? At the next corner, turn left. Go to this college, apply to this job, marry this person. Wouldn’t that make life a whole lot easier? However, there aren't many instruction guides when it comes to things like marriage, parenting, career decisions, and a host of other things. One thing we can depend on is God giving us His wisdom—if we ask. James 1:5 tells us that if we—which includes you! —lack wisdom, we simply need to ask God, and He will give it to us. The Bible tells us that He will not only give it but will give it generously! Liberally!

Wisdom from God is like a flashlight that can help light our paths, giving us illumination and guidance to help us make good decisions and to supply us with peace. So, if you are in need of some wisdom for something that hasn’t come with an instruction manual, God is ready and waiting for you to ask Him for His wisdom. And what could be smarter than that?

ASKING GOD FOR WISDOM IS THE SMARTEST THING I CAN DO.

God, I often wish life came with an instruction manual. There are big decisions I need to make, and often I don’t know how to make the correct choice. Thank You for giving me wisdom. Please give me wisdom in all that I do.