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But if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God, (James 1:5a)

If any believers had difficulty understanding their trials, James tells them what they are to do. James says if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God. When James refers here to wisdom, he is not talking about mere intellectual wisdom. It is wisdom, which comes from God and having a reverential fear of displeasing him, which is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 1:7) Wisdom: (חָכְמָה chokmah; σοφία sophia) is sound judgment, based on knowledge and understanding. The ability to use knowledge and experience with common sense and insight. Wisdom has the capacity to understand and then act wisely and so have skill in living, adhering to the standards set out in the Word of God. Wisdom belongs to the person who has accumulated knowledge or intellect, or enlightenment. It is the balanced application of that knowledge to answer difficulties, achieve objectives, sidestep, or ward off dangers, not to mention helping others to accomplish the same. The wise person is often contrasted with the foolishness or stupid person. – Deut. 4:6; 1Ki 5:9; Deut. 32:6; Prov. 11:29; Eccles. 6:8; Col. 1:28; 4:5.

Therefore, the proper understanding of Godly wisdom is that one then puts the wisdom into practical use in everyday life. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 2:6, “For Jehovah gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and discernment.”[1] When James says any of you in this passage, he references the believers that God was allowing to go through trials. He is not talking to just anyone, in general, to ask for wisdom, but in context those Christians who were enduring the trails. Nevertheless, all Christians are to ask God for wisdom. However, if undergoing a trial, we need to be specific in the wisdom that we are seeking.

James tells these believers if they lacked the wisdom to understand the trials, then go to the one who could give them the discernment and wisdom regarding the trial. God was sovereign over the trials in allowing the trial to happen, and then he would be the only one to go to for us to correctly understand the nature of the trial. The Greek word that James uses for “ask” is (αἰτέω aiteō), which means to “beg” or “request.” The believers were to ask God that they understand their trials for some insight and guidance to see how allowing the trial was a part of God’s plan and how it applied to their lives.

We see from Scripture an example of God answering those in their trial with Solomon, who asked God to help him to be able to lead the nation he had become the leader of (1 Kings 3:9). David, a man familiar with trials, wrote in Psalms 55:22, “Cast your burden on Jehovah, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be shaken.” When David wrote those words, he was under tremendous pressure. (Ps. 55:4) This psalm was written at the time his son Absalom plotted to seize the kingship from him. David’s closest adviser, Ahithophel, participated in the plot. David had to escape Jerusalem, running for his life. – 2 Samuel 15:12-14.

Regardless of having these kinds of distressing situations, David remained steadfast with trust in God, and he would not be disheartened. King David constantly prayed to God for help during his life, spilling his emotions and thoughts out to Him. (Psalm 23:1-6) God loved David very much and listened to his numerous prayers. (Acts 13:22) In this same way, God hears our prayers because he is very concerned about us as well. Peter also wrote in 1 Peter 5:6-7, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” If we surrender our anxiety upon God, he will guide us through our using Word, enabling us to live a life that is pleasing to Him. He will help us continue our worship of him as a priority in our lives rather than being excessively worried about the next day’s stresses. – Matthew 6:33-34.

[1] A Hebrew word frequently rendered “discernment” (תְּבוּנָה tebunah) is related to the word (בִּינָה binah), translated “understanding.” Just as is the case with understanding, discernment includes seeing or identifying things, but in the sense of tebunah, it is recognizing and separating the parts, considering, or assessing one in the light of the others.