Heuristic wisdom

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Heuristic wisdom

Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding – Proverbs 14:33

Proverbs 2:2-11

 2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.

 3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.

 4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.

 5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God.

 6 For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

 7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.

 8 He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

 9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.

 10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.

 11 Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.

How do we find our way through life? How do we make good choices? How do we discover and practice wisdom? One popular method employed across many modern disciplines is heuristic analysis. Heuristic analysis is an approach to discovery, learning, and problem-solving that uses rules, estimates, or educated guesses. Solutions are not always perfect, but they are often quite satisfactory. People are left to their own devices and arrive at conclusions by trial and error, a shot in the dark, an intuitive leap of logic, or simply a leap of faith.

The English word heuristic derives from the Greek word heuriskowhich means to find or discover. Such decision-making is sort of a mixture of experience, knowledge, and blind luck. Do the Scriptures offer a more excellent way? Emphatically, “Yes.” It all begins by acknowledging the Father and seeking guidance from Him.

Matthew 7:7-14

 7 Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

 13 You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell and is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

How often have we experienced regret, remorse, humiliation, and embarrassment because of our folly? All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without the Father (Oswald Chambers).

How can we learn to make better decisions by depending upon the Father? The Father’s answer is simple: seek, acquire, and master wisdom.

There is a magnificent transformational truth, almost like of formula, that the Father reveals to us. The quest and reception of wisdom lead to learning about and knowing the Father. As we get to know Him, we are able to enter into a relationship with Him. As we do, we develop a fear, that is a profound respect for Him. This remarkable internal transformation of our hearts, mind, and spirit allows us to understand and internalize the Truth He has provided in the Word of God.

It is as though the activity of sincere seeking and finding unlocks the door of understanding that we never even knew existed. The door has always closed to us. Except for a vague and gnawing feeling that there must be something more, there was no indication that the door was even there.

Proverbs 9:10 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

The hearts and minds of children of the King may be wonderfully and delightfully shaped and fashioned and ultimately ruled by the wisdom that our Father graciously imparts (Proverbs 14:29–30, 33).

REFLECT & PRAY

So often we make bad decisions that cost us deeply and we live out unintended consequences of agitation and turmoil.

Father I seek You for wisdom and direction. Teach me to seek Your face each day. I need to make better decisions, experience less regret, and grow in wisdom.

INSIGHT

We often speak of wisdom, but what is it?

Biblical wisdom is simply defined as “skill for living.” Wisdom includes both knowledge and the ability to apply the knowledge to everyday life situations.

Wisdom is the special capacity to understand, discern, and make intuitively excellent decisions. Wisdom can be acquired by applying the mind to learning, comprehending, and applying the Word of God. 

“A growing number of people in our world fail to seek God for His wisdom. Instead, they strive to satisfy their passions and desires without regard to their future or to the consequences of their decisions.”

“For a believer, this is a spiritually dangerous way to live. When we try to live apart from the counsel of God’s wisdom, we suffer disillusionment, fear, doubt, worry, and frustration. Our lives fall apart when we do Not involve the Savior in our decisions.

The wisest approach to life’s challenges is to seek God for His plan, direction, and spiritual insight” (Stanley). Here are suggested steps of action.

• Seek the Father and ask Him. Take time to pray – but in your times of prayer, don’t do all the talking. Listen for the father’s still, small voice.
• Meditate on God’s Word – You will gain insight into the father’s mind and heart. 
• Obey the principles of Scripture – Set your heart on obeying the Father and He will teach you how to apply His truth in your life. 
• Remember the father’s faithfulness – The Father has never failed to keep a single promise He has made. 
• Seek godly counsel – share your needs and fears with those who love the Father and you.
• Associate with wise people – Choose your friends wisely and include the Father in every relationship. (Stanley)

James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God,

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