God’s Promise and Scripture

God’s Promise: God promises to give us wisdom when we ask Him.

Scripture: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

Devotional

James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

This verse became very real to me over the past year as I wrestled with how to parent my second-born daughter, Elisha. She’s five years old, full of life, and feels everything deeply. Her joy is contagious, but her emotions can also erupt into frustration or tears without warning. In so many ways, she’s just like me—strong-willed, passionate, determined. Those traits that make her so special also make parenting her a sanctifying experience.

There were many evenings when I found myself exhausted, praying for patience after another round of big emotions. I wanted to be the calm, steady father she needed, but too often I matched her intensity with my own. Somewhere along the way, I realized that my desire for control was crowding out my dependence on God. I kept thinking, I should know how to handle this—I’m the parent. But wisdom doesn’t come from authority. It comes from asking.

A friend recommended a book called Habits of the Household, and one simple practice from it changed everything. The author shared that he prays over his children each night, standing quietly outside their doors after they’re asleep. It wasn’t dramatic—just a small, consistent rhythm of entrusting his kids to the Lord.

I decided to try it. Each night after checking on our kids, I began pausing in the hallway to pray over them. I’d thank God for who they are, for the laughter and chaos they bring, and for how each one reflects a different part of His character. When I stopped at Elisha’s door, I’d pray that God would give her peace in her emotions, that He’d help her grow in patience, and that He’d help me show her what patience looks like.

Something subtle but profound began to change—not in her first, but in me. God didn’t simply give me parenting techniques; He gave me His heart. The wisdom He promised in James 1:5 started to show up as quiet conviction, softer words, and slower reactions. Where I once prayed for Him to fix my daughter’s outbursts, I found myself asking Him to form my own heart.

Over time, I noticed that Elisha and I were connecting differently. There was more laughter between us, fewer standoffs. My prayer life grew deeper too, not because I’d mastered fatherhood, but because I’d learned to bring it before my Heavenly Father each night. And it reminded me of another verse from James: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). The patience I was learning, the tenderness in our home, even the habit of prayer itself—all of it was a gift from Him.

When we ask God for wisdom, He doesn’t withhold it. He gives generously, not because we earn it, but because that’s who He is—a good Father who delights in shaping His children to reflect His Son. Jesus is the perfect picture of patience, the wisdom of God in human form. When I think of how He gently guides, corrects, and loves us even when we stumble, I see the model for how I want to father my own children.

Parenting has a way of exposing how desperately we need divine wisdom, but it also reveals how faithfully God provides it. I still pray in the hallway each night, not because I’ve figured everything out, but because I’ve learned that the most powerful parenting happens on our knees.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Where in your life do you need to ask God for wisdom rather than relying on your own understanding?

2. How might God be inviting you to grow in patience toward others as He continues to show patience toward you?

3. What “good and perfect gifts” from the Father can you thank Him for today that remind you of His faithfulness?