I don’t know for how long I’ve been praying out of James 1:5. 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.
I recently added a prayer from Daniel 5.12. Daniel was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems.
So my prayer is, God, give me wisdom, help me to solve this or that problem.
But even king Belshazzar said to Daniel: I have heard that the Spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom.
So what I guess I missed in my prayers was that I already have the wisdom I need. I don’t need to ask for something I already have.
But we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor 2.16
What we have received is … the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Cor 2.12
The Spirit of truth will guide you into all the truth John 16.13
Further, in Matthes 11.11, Jesus said: Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist, yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
So this means that John the Baptist was greater than Daniel, greater than Solomon, greater than any of the Old Testament saints. But the least in the kingdom of God is greater than any of these. I tend to not think of myself too highly. But even if I am the least in the kingdom, I am greater than any of these guys.
This means that I am praying the wrong thing. I am praying for something I already have.
Instead, I should be praying that the Spirit of truth would reveal what I have already received and how to use it.
Because his divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1.3
So instead of Lord, give me wisdom, my prayer should be. Lord, your life in me, and I have your mind. Through you, I have the answer to any problem in front of me. Please show me what it is I should do in this situation.
In the end, it is basically the same prayer, but instead of praying from a place of need, you pray from a place of abundance, of trust.
Small hinges swing big doors.