The Spirit Filled Life: Wisdom in Crisis
Summary
Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit for every person who asks for and receives His presence. The pages of the Bible are filled with wisdom for living. Wisdom is with us to lead and guide us through life, to help us apply knowledge, understanding and insight to craft lives of fruitfulness even through difficult times.
This practice is designed to help us reflect on the gift of wisdom for every one of us. It lasts 30 minutes, and we suggest taking 15 minutes to work through it as individuals, followed by 10-15 minutes to discuss the experience as a group, using the questions as a prompt. You may find it helpful to have some pen and paper to hand to make notes.
Practice (15 mins)
Proverbs 8 and 9 give us an image of ‘wisdom’ and ‘folly’ as two characters who have prepared their homes and set their tables. In this chapter both are inviting people to come and dine with them, to sit down, share their thoughts, engage, spend time in their presence. Wisdom is generously hospitable to all, leading those who come to dine at her table to life. Folly is deceptive, promising life when she actually has no access to it and instead leads to chaos.
Begin by taking a minute or two to sit in silence, perhaps with your eyes closed, and breathe deeply. As you do so, picture yourself receiving God’s ruach – His breath and Spirit. Allow the feeling of the breath filling your lungs to represent God’s promise to energise and empower you with His Spirit. Become aware of His presence with you. Recognise that even in this moment, wisdom can come and help you to reflect back and prepare for your week ahead.
Reflect back on your last week/month – think about the situations you faced, the conversations you had, the thoughts that played over in your mind. As you do, reflect upon the times, where figuratively speaking, you sat down at the table of wisdom.
- Where did you invite and receive wisdom to empower you in these situations, conversations, thoughts, decisions. What happened? How did you feel? How did you act?
Take a moment to thank God for His Holy Spirit empowering and leading you with wisdom.
- Continuing to reflect upon this last week/month, where did you, figuratively speaking, dine at the table of folly?What happened? How did you feel? How did you act?
Are there situations/conversations/decisions/thoughts that you would like to apologise for? To God, and maybe to yourself and others?
We reflect, not to shame ourselves but to look honestly at our story and to learn and grow.. God has promised that He is always faithful to forgive. There is no shame, only freedom ahead.
Going into this new week, think about what you have just considered. Look ahead to what your week holds. Where can you make the decision now, to dine at the table of wisdom. What might you need to do to prepare for this? Are there conversations you would like to have to ask someone for help? Is there time you need to carve out for prayer? What have you read in the Bible that you sense God is leading you to apply to life?
Discussion (10-15 mins)
- How did you find that experience?
- Would this be a helpful practice for you to build into your life on an ongoing basis? Perhaps weekly, monthly, annually?
Closing Prayer
Holy Spirit, Breath of God
We’re so grateful for the gift of your presence
We’re so grateful for wisdom to live life with you
As we walk into this week
We know we will hear the voices of wisdom and folly calling out to us
Empower us to sit with wisdom
To grow in wisdom
To treasure wisdom
To guard wisdom
And as we do may we, filled with your love,
Follow you to live lives overflowing with love
Amen