A Prayer for Discernment in Our Information Age
By Laura Bailey
Bible Reading:
“Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books, there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” Ecclesiastes 12:12 NIV
Read or Listen Below:
We started gathering a few years ago to discuss the books we’ve read, are reading, and want to read. Over the years, the conversation has morphed from our “current reads” to deeper discussions about families, life, and faith. As avid readers, these ladies are knowledgeable about many topics. But what I love the most about my sweet sisters in Christ is the book they read the most: God’s Word.
We live in a time when we can easily find answers to questions such as who the 10th U.S. president was, how to prune a rose, which makeup suits oily skin, and where our high school crush lives within seconds. While the accessibility of information can be beneficial, there are times when unlimited data exposure can be detrimental.
Take the examples above. You don’t have to leave your house to help your third-grader with their project; that’s a win! After a few scrolls through the internet, discovering that roses are a lot of work can save you time and money; that’s a good thing! If you can quickly find the right products for your skin without spending hours scrolling through social media and purchasing stuff you don’t need, that would be good! Perhaps it is just an innocent search for someone in our past, but that information is likely something we don’t need to know.
The Apostle Paul tells the church of Corinth that there are things that we may be allowed to do, but that doesn’t mean they are beneficial for us ( 1 Corinthians 10:23). put, just because we can doesn’t mean we should. Solomon shares this same sentiment in discussing humanity's quest for knowledge, “Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” ( Ecclesiastes 12: 12 NIV)
Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived ( 1 Kings 3:12); his wisdom, which was accompanied by discernment, was a blessing from God, a gift. And yet, even though Solomon had divine wisdom, he spent much of his life trying to grow his earthly knowledge. Solomon studied, read, and worked tirelessly to understand humanity and find the answers to all his questions. Solomon fell for the ancient lie that he could be like God; if he had just acquired more information, he would be, at least, all-knowing on this side of heaven. And yet, we see in the book of Ecclesiastes that Solomon’s relentless quest for knowledge didn’t make him more intelligent; in fact, it often led to a more profound feeling of inadequacy and confusion.
Solomon warns us of the pitfalls of information overload. There is nothing wrong with reading books or gleaning knowledge from human authors; God has gifted many writers to share words of encouragement. But, our primary source of information gathering that leads to wisdom should be from God’s Word. Before you are tempted to scour the web, scroll through media, or search through books in your pursuit of answers to your questions, start by asking the Lord for discernment as you prioritize godly wisdom over earthly knowledge.
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, we are so grateful to serve a God who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present in and over our lives. When we are tempted to take on the attributes that you alone have the authority to hold, let us remember that You are the Creator, and we are the created. We ask, Lord, that you grant us, like Solomon, the gift of wisdom and discernment. May we rightfully use the gift of knowledge to bring You glory and honor and fulfill your purposes in the world. Lord, guide us on our quests for answer-seeking and help us determine if our search for information is ultimately beneficial or detrimental to us. When we are tempted to consume more, let us pause and ask, “Just because we can, does that mean we should?” Thank you for your grace and mercy. We love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Photo Credit: GettyImages/vejaa
She lives in Upstate South Carolina with her husband and three young girls, where she serves as director of women's ministries at her church. Her passion is teaching the Bible to women, equipping them to live with an eternal perspective. Invite Laura to speak at your next event or learn more: www.LauraRBailey.com
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