And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him; bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Theodore Levitt, former professor at the Harvard Business School and editor of the Harvard Business Review, succinctly posed the relationship between experience and wisdom: “Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.” Perhaps the apostle Paul would smile with understanding at hearing such a comment, but then he would readily respond with… “but it doesn’t have to be that way when we experience a relationship with God.”
Upon hearing the report of faithfulness of the Christians at Colossae, given to Paul by the church’s founder, Epaphras, the apostle shares from his Roman prison what he has unceasingly been praying for regarding this church — that “knowledge” of God’s will transforms into “spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Paul was emphasizing the importance of understanding how to walk with God. In a world that constantly bombards with distractions and conflicting messages, knowing and aligning with God’s will becomes the “true north” that guides good decisions and actions. Of course, this “true north” is realized through the daily interaction we have with the Word of God and the Spirit of God. They enable us to navigate life’s complexities with divine insight and so move from the experience of knowledge to the experience of walking worthily before God. The wisdom of rightly living for God doesn’t have to evolve through previous poor choices.
The spiritual intelligence, gleaned from God’s Word directs an outflow of loving obedience and fruitfulness that both reflects God’s character and honors Him. Our faith journey must not be static, but dynamic. We must continually grow in the knowledge of God and then exercise that wisdom in an obedient and fruitful life.
The famed Christian Educator, Henrietta Mears pondered this passage and said, “God’s will is revealed in Christians acting and interacting together. Once known, we must exercise it. We must obey it. It is never a question of what He will do, but what we will do. To flourish in our relationship with God is to fall in line with His will and to do it His way. All that is pleasing to Him is flourishing!”
Dr. Bill Niblette, Bible League International contributor, Pennsylvania, USA
