All of us at some point or another come to a place in our lives where we just don’t know what is next. We are on the cusps of a decision and there is no clear right or wrong answer. Or we are in a situation and don’t know how to best proceed. We are faced with difficult decisions all the time. 

Here are some my wife and I have faced in the last 20 years. Should we get married? Where should we live? What’s the right career path? When should we have kids? How many do you want? Should we become members of this church? Should we move to North Carolina? Should I stop working now that we have these kids? How are we going to pay for this? Should we move to Florida? Should we look for employment elsewhere? Should we homeschool the kids? Should we buy this house? Should we get that car? Should we borrow from our retirement for that? Should we save more money? Should we abandon everything and move to the middle of nowhere because this life is too chaotic and too hard? Should we just give up?

Sometimes our options are yes or no. Sometimes our options are a, b, or c. Sometimes if it’s only A or B she will always say that we will wind up taking ‘Secret Option C’ that we don’t even know about yet. She’s usually right. Secret Option C is always just around the corner. So how do you plan for that? 

People who struggle with social anxiety get overwhelmed at too many choice options and can’t make even simple decisions. That’s why I limit myself to just a quick look at a restaurant menu, because otherwise I’ll get overwhelmed and never get anything because I convince myself that I’m ordering the wrong thing. Just pick something and put the menu down before it gets bad. 

We have lots of decisions in our lives, some small like what to order from a restaurant and others big like moving to a new state or job. We need to know what plan is the best plan. So we turn to the Lord for wisdom. 

Solomon was facing a monumental task. He had just become king after the death of his father, David, and so he needed to know how to best rule this land and this people.

2 Chronicles 1:1-6, “Solomon son of David strengthened his hold on his kingdom. The Lord his God was with him and highly exalted him. 2 Then Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel—the family heads. 3 Solomon and the whole assembly with him went to the high place that was in Gibeon because God’s tent of meeting, which the Lord’s servant Moses had made in the wilderness, was there. 4 Now David had brought the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place[a] he had set up for it, because he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem, 5 but he put[b] the bronze altar, which Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, in front of the Lord’s tabernacle. Solomon and the assembly inquired of him[c] there. 6 Solomon offered sacrifices there in the Lord’s presence on the bronze altar at the tent of meeting; he offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.”

Here we see Solomon going to the Lord’s tent of meeting, where the Lord had met with Moses, Aaron, and so many others before him. Solomon brought with him all of the leaders of Israel: Commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, judges, family heads. And there on the bronze altar at the tent of meeting, Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings. 

Offering a burnt offering to the Lord was a time consuming and messy business. But here we see Solomon offering not one burnt offering but one thousand. Solomon meant business here. He was serious about coming to the Lord.

2 Chronicles 1:7-10, “That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask. What should I give you?”

8 And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and faithful love to my father David, and you have made me king in his place. 9 Lord God, let your promise to my father David now come true. For you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Now grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people, for who can judge this great people of yours?”

The Lord appeared to Solomon. The Lord received and honored Solomon’s sacrifices. The Lord Himself did not wait on Solomon but inquired of Him. 

The Lord is wanting to hear from his children. He is waiting to answer you. But you must do what the Lord says here. Ask. You simply need to ask. 

Then Solomon begins by acknowledging God’s faithfulness and His love to David and His people. Then he reminds God of His promises. He says “let your promise to my father David now come true.” 

If you don’t know what to pray, pray Scripture. Pray the promises of God. Declare to God His greatness and his faithfulness with His own words. He will not recant them. He does not change his mind about what He has spoken. 

We should be praying the Bible. The Word of God should fill our prayers. 

Here are some verses you can pray when asking for wisdom: 

Ephesians 1:17, “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,[a] would give you the Spirit[b] of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.”

Daniel 2:23 “I offer thanks and praise to you,

God of my ancestors,

because you have given me

wisdom and power.

And now you have let me know

what we asked of you,”

Psalm 19:7, “The instruction of the Lord is perfect,

renewing one’s life;

the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,

making the inexperienced wise.”

James 1:5, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.”

And Solomon does ask specifically what he needs of the Lord and why. Wisdom and knowledge so that he may lead this great people. 

Pray a vague prayer and you’ll get a vague answer. Pray specifically and when God answers it specifically you’ll have no doubt that it was the Lord who intervened on your behalf. 

There was a time when we were struggling financially. I prayed “Lord, please send us a bag of money.” Well, not long after that I walked outside to go to work and there in my yard was a plastic bag drifting along the grass. I looked inside and sure enough it was the bag of money I prayed for. All 3 dollars of it. Pray a vague prayer – get a vague answer. 

So Solomon prayed for wisdom. See how the Lord answers Solomon’s request. 1 Chronicles 1:11-13, “God said to Solomon, “Since this was in your heart, and you have not requested riches, wealth, or glory, or for the life of those who hate you, and you have not even requested long life, but you have requested for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may judge my people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge are given to you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and glory, unlike what was given to the kings who were before you, or will be given to those after you.” 13 So Solomon went to Jerusalem from[d] the high place that was in Gibeon in front of the tent of meeting, and he reigned over Israel.”

God goes above and beyond in answering Solomon’s prayer. Not only does Solomon receive wisdom from God,  but he receives all other things he shunned in preference for his wisdom. 

Now of course we know that Solomon was the wisest of all kings and leaders. His wisdom led to great wealth, great prestige and renown, and Proverbs that are quoted still to this day. 

What are you seeking from the Lord? Are you seeking wisdom like Solomon? Are you seeking strength and endurance? Are you seeking good fortune?

Why do you seek from the Lord what you seek? Do you seek for selfish gain or do you seek for the sake of others? 

Solomon prayed for the sake of his people. The Lord saw his heart and his intentions. And He honored him. 

Pray today for what you seek but be mindful of your intentions. The Lord knows your heart and the reasons for which you pray. You must be completely honest with him.

I leave you with one last verse that has always encouraged me when I pray. Continue to ask of the Lord. Continue to seek Him. I promise He will answer in His own perfect time and in His own good way. 

Ephesians 3:20-21, “ Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”