Your Faith Might Not Rest on Human Wisdom, but on God's Power
I use the BLESS method every morning for my devotional.
B - Bible Verse
L - Listen for God's Voice and pray
E - Explore the History and meaning
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
S - Summarize and Share
You can read more about it by going to: What is a Faith Journal?
B - Bible Verse in NIV (1 Corinthians 2:5) "so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."
L - Listen for God's Voice and pray Dear Heavenly Father, as we come to Your Word today, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive the truth and wisdom that can only come from You. Help us to rely not on our own understanding or the wisdom of this world, but on Your mighty power. Give us faith that is unshakable and firmly rooted in Your love and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen.
E - Explore the History and meaning The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthian church around 55 A.D. The city of Corinth was known for its wealth, immorality, and intellectual pride. In this passage, Paul emphasizes that true wisdom and power come from God, not from human understanding. He reminds the Corinthians that his message and preaching were not based on eloquent words or persuasive arguments, but on the demonstration of the Holy Spirit's power, so that their faith would be grounded in God's might rather than human wisdom.
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
"Faith" - Trust and confidence in God, a reliance on His power and wisdom rather than our own.
"Human wisdom" - The limited understanding and knowledge that comes from human reasoning and intellect.
"God's power" - The divine strength, ability, and might that surpasses all human understanding and accomplishes the impossible.
S - Summarize and Share
It is so easy to get caught up in the world's way of thinking, isn't it? We're constantly bombarded with messages that tell us to rely on our own intelligence, our own abilities, and our own strength. But the truth is, when we do that, we're setting ourselves up for disappointment and frustration.
That's why I love what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:5. He reminds us that our faith shouldn't be based on human wisdom, but on God's power. Think about that for a moment. The Creator of the universe, the One who spoke everything into existence, wants us to rely on His strength, not our own. That's incredible!
Now, I'm not saying we should check our brains at the door. God gave us minds to use, and we should definitely pursue knowledge and understanding. But at the end of the day, we have to remember that our wisdom is limited. We don't have all the answers, and we never will. But God does. And when we place our trust in Him, we tap into a source of power and wisdom that goes far beyond anything we could ever imagine.
So, what does that look like practically? It means taking our doubts, our fears, and our questions to God in prayer. It means seeking His guidance and direction, even when the path ahead seems unclear. It means trusting that He has a plan and a purpose for our lives, even when we can't see it.
And here's the beautiful thing: when we live by faith, we find a sense of peace and security that the world can never give us. We know that no matter what challenges come our way, God is with us, and He will give us the strength to overcome.
So today, I want to encourage you to take a step of faith. Place your trust in God's power, not your own wisdom. Lean on His understanding, not your own. And watch as He does immeasurably more than you could ever ask or imagine in your life.
3 Bible Cross References:
Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Jeremiah 17:7 - "But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him."
Ephesians 3:20-21 - "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."