The Bible clearly states that all comfort comes either directly or indirectly from the Lord. The Bible says that He is “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Any true and lasting comfort man receives originates with and through the Lord (James 1:17), and the comfort given by God can comfort each of us in any and all tribulation (2 Corinthians 1:4). Unfortunately, man seems to think that every problem he faces requires a different area of study with various solutions. Yet, the Bible contradicts this line of thinking by stating that every tribulation has only one source of comfort. It is important to note that the comfort received by one person can be passed on to help others regardless of the trouble faced. That is the power of God’s comfort!
In our passage today, the Bible identifies three gifts from God intended to enable believers to make right decisions. These three gifts are knowledge, wisdom, and reproof. Knowledge involves factual information that enables the believer to possess details before making a decision. The Lord rebuked the simple pointing out that “they hated knowledge” (Proverbs 1:29). Because they hated knowledge, the people did not choose the fear of the Lord. Wisdom, on the other hand, involves the proper use of the knowledge provided by God for the individual. Wisdom takes the facts obtained and uses them to make the right choices. The last of the three gifts completes the package. Reproof entails the enlightenment of error. Knowledge, wisdom, and reproof work together to enable believers to choose wisely and properly.
Decision making is an important element of everyday life. The Bible has many clear guidelines in this area. Every Christian must learn how to make decisions and then trust God with the results. Some decisions involve life changing outcomes, yet every decision must be based on biblically sound principles. The book of James, when referring to prayer, warns the reader of the dangers of indecisive and faithless living. This particular prayer pertains to wisdom, but the principle involves a broader application. A man who struggles with indecisiveness is said to be “double minded” reflecting instability in all his ways (James 1:8). A few chapters later the Bible instructs the “double minded” believer to purify his heart (James 4:8). Believers must learn to make decisions with God’s help and stick with those decisions until the Lord directs otherwise.
