Lord, Give Me Wisdom Before I Take Another Step

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Before making your next move, ask God for wisdom. Learn why seeking His guidance before making decisions can protect you from unnecessary mistakes and give you clarity, understanding, and peace about your next step.

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Lord, Give Me Wisdom Before I Take Another Step

There was a time when I did not ask God for wisdom before making decisions.

I would simply make the decision.

If something needed to be done, I did it.

If I thought something was a good idea, I moved forward with it.

If an opportunity came my way and it looked right to me, I figured I knew what I was doing.

And if I can say so myself, for a while things seemed to work out pretty well.

That made it even easier for me to believe I did not need to stop and ask God about every decision.

I thought, “I can handle this.”

Until some things stopped working out.

Then I started wondering what happened.

Why did this not go the way I expected?

Why did that door close?

Why am I confused about what to do next?

That is when something began changing in me.

I realized I had been asking God to bless decisions I had already made instead of asking Him for wisdom before I made them.

There is a big difference.

I needed to stop moving first and praying later.

I needed to start praying first and moving after God gave me direction.

Now one of the things I want to ask is:

“Lord, give me wisdom before I take another step.”

Not after.

Before.

I Don’t Know Everything—and That’s Okay

Sometimes we do not ask God for wisdom because we believe we already know what is best.

We look at the situation.

We think about our options.

We make a decision.

Then we move.

I have learned that just because something makes sense to me does not mean it is God’s best for me.

I can only see what is in front of me.

God sees what is coming.

I can see today.

God sees tomorrow.

I may see a good opportunity.

God may see something connected to that opportunity that I cannot see yet.

That is why I need His wisdom.

Admitting that I do not know everything does not make me weak.

It actually helps me depend on God more.

There is freedom in being able to say:

“Lord, I don’t know what to do with this. Please show me.”

I would rather admit that I need God’s help than pretend I know everything and end up somewhere He never told me to go.

Wisdom Is More Than Knowing Something

When I think about wisdom, I do not only think about knowing facts.

You can know a lot and still make poor decisions.

Wisdom helps us know what to do with what we know.

It gives us sound judgment.

It helps us look beyond the moment.

It teaches us when to move and when to wait.

When to speak and when to stay quiet.

When to say yes and when to say no.

That is the kind of wisdom I need.

James 1:5 (KJV)

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally…”

I love this Scripture because God tells us exactly what to do when we need wisdom.

Ask Him.

We do not have to pretend we have the answer.

We can go directly to the One who does.

Before the Next Step, Stop

Sometimes we are so ready to get to the next thing that we forget to stop.

We want the next job.

The next opportunity.

The next business move.

The next relationship.

The next purchase.

The next door.

We are ready to move.

But what if God is saying, “Wait”?

What if there is something He needs to show us first?

I am learning that every open door does not mean I am supposed to walk through it.

Just because I can do something does not mean I should.

That is where wisdom comes in.

Before taking the next step, I want to stop long enough to pray.

I want to give God room to speak.

Sometimes stopping for a moment can save us from spending months trying to correct a decision we made too quickly.

Wisdom Can Protect You From Yourself

Sometimes the person God needs to protect me from is me.

My impatience.

My emotions.

My excitement.

My desire to make something happen.

I can want something so badly that I begin convincing myself it must be right.

That is why I cannot depend only on how I feel.

Feelings are real, but they can change.

Wisdom looks deeper.

Wisdom asks:

“Is this right for me?”

“Is this the right time?”

“Does this agree with God’s Word?”

“Do I have peace about this?”

“Have I actually prayed, or have I already decided what I want?”

Those questions make us slow down and think.

Sometimes that is exactly what we need.

God May Send Wisdom Through Someone Else

I thank God that He does not always leave us to figure things out by ourselves.

Sometimes He sends people.

There are people in my life I can trust to give me wise advice.

I know they are not going to purposely steer me wrong.

They are going to tell me the truth, even if the truth is not exactly what I wanted to hear.

We all need people like that.

People who will pray before they speak.

People who will not tell us yes just because they know that is what we want.

People who will point us back to God.

Proverbs 11:14 (KJV)

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

Wise counsel can be a blessing.

But I still have to use discernment.

Every person with an opinion does not have wisdom for my situation.

That is why even when someone gives me advice, I still take it back to God.

“Lord, is this what You are showing me too?”

The Right Answer May Be “Not Yet”

Sometimes we ask God for wisdom because we want a quick yes or no.

God may answer with something we do not like as much:

“Not yet.”

That answer takes wisdom too.

There are times when we are ready to move, but God knows we are not ready for what comes after the move.

Maybe the opportunity is right, but the timing is wrong.

Maybe the blessing is coming, but there are still lessons we need first.

Maybe God is preparing something behind the scenes.

Waiting does not mean nothing is happening.

I have learned that God can do some of His greatest work while we are standing still.

God’s No Can Be Wisdom Too

We also have to be prepared for God to say no.

That can be difficult when we really want something.

We may have already pictured how it would work.

We may have told people about it.

We may have gotten excited.

Then God closes the door.

At first, we may be disappointed.

But wisdom teaches us to trust what God can see.

Do I think God will steer me wrong?

For me, the answer is no.

I know what He has already done for me.

I know how He has protected me.

I know there were things I wanted before that I later thanked Him for not allowing.

So if God says no, I may not like the answer at first, but I have to trust the One giving it.

Sometimes no is protection.

Sometimes no is redirection.

Sometimes no simply means God has something else.

Wisdom Gives Me Peace

There is a difference between deciding because I am pressured and making one after I have prayed and received peace.

I have experienced both.

When I rush, I usually keep questioning myself.

“Did I make the right choice?”

“Should I have waited?”

But when I know I have prayed, sought wisdom, and allowed God to guide me, I can have peace even if everything has not worked itself out yet.

That peace matters.

Proverbs 3:5–6 (KJV)

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

This Scripture reminds me that I do not have to figure out every path myself.

God will direct me.

My responsibility is to trust Him enough to listen.

I Need Wisdom in the Little Things Too

We sometimes save prayers for wisdom for the biggest decisions.

But what about everyday life?

How should I respond to this person?

Should I spend this money right now?

Should I get involved in this conversation?

Should I say yes to this responsibility?

Should I wait before responding?

Do I need to apologize?

Those decisions matter too.

A small choice can prevent a big problem.

I want God’s wisdom in my words, finances, relationships, work, ministry, family, and everything else.

Nothing is too small to bring before Him.

Wisdom Also Means Accepting Correction

Sometimes we ask God for wisdom, and then He shows us we are wrong.

Now what?

That is when we have to decide whether we really wanted wisdom or we only wanted God to agree with us.

I want to have a teachable heart.

If God shows me I need to change direction, I want to change.

If He shows me my attitude is wrong, I want to correct it.

If He tells me I moved too fast, I want to learn from it.

God’s correction is not meant to embarrass me.

It is meant to help me grow.

Wisdom that never corrects anything in us would not help us very much.

I Trust God More Than I Trust Myself

I can trust myself to make some good decisions.

I can also admit that I have made some bad ones.

That is why I do not want myself to be the final authority over my life.

I want God.

He knows me completely.

He knows where I am going.

He knows what I am ready for.

He knows what would hurt me.

He knows what will help me grow.

There are people I trust too, but nobody sees my life the way God does.

That is why His wisdom has to come first.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Take Another Step Without Him

If you are standing in front of a decision right now, you do not have to rush.

Stop.

Pray.

Ask God for wisdom.

You may think you already know what to do.

You may even be right.

But there is nothing wrong with making sure God is in it before you move.

I know what it was like to make decisions first and think about God afterward.

Some things worked out.

Some did not.

Now I want something different.

I want Him involved from the beginning.

I need wisdom before I take another step because I do not know what is waiting around the corner.

God does.

I need His judgment when mine is affected by emotions.

I need His understanding when I am confused.

I need His direction when there is more than one path in front of me.

And when He sends someone wise to help me, I want to be humble enough to listen.

Before you sign it.

Before you buy it.

Before you say yes.

Before you walk away.

Before you respond.

Before you make the next move.

Ask Him.

“Lord, give me wisdom before I take another step.”

Then be willing to accept His answer.

Even if He says wait.

Even if He says no.

Even if He sends you in a direction you were not expecting.

His wisdom can see what ours cannot.

And I would rather take one step with God than ten steps on my own and have to find my way back.

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Scriptures

James 1:5 (KJV) — “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God…”

Proverbs 3:5–6 (KJV) — “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding…”

Proverbs 11:14 (KJV) — “In the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

Proverbs 2:6 (KJV) — “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”

Psalm 32:8 (KJV) — “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go…”

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Reflection Questions

• Do I usually pray before making decisions or after I have already made them?
• Is there a decision in front of me that I need God’s wisdom about?
• Am I willing to accept God’s answer if it is no or not yet?
• Who has God placed in my life that I trust for wise, godly counsel?
• What is one area where I need to stop depending only on my own understanding?

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Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Before I take another step, I need Your wisdom.

Forgive me for the times I thought I knew what was best and moved forward without asking You for direction. Thank You for being patient with me and for continuing to guide me even when I have gotten ahead of You.

Give me sound judgment and understanding. Help me know when to move, when to wait, when to say yes, and when to say no. Do not let my emotions, excitement, fear, or impatience make decisions that should be placed in Your hands.

When You send wise people into my life, help me recognize them and listen with a humble heart. Most importantly, help me take every piece of advice back to You.

If Your answer is different from what I want, give me enough faith to trust You anyway. I know You see what I cannot see, and I believe You will never lead me in the wrong direction.

Order my steps, correct me when I need correction, and give me wisdom before every move I make.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

With Love,

Ty 🤍
Encouraged by Faith

About the Author

Hi, I’m Ty, founder of Encouraged by Faith. I share Scripture, prayer, and everyday lessons God continues teaching me as I grow in my relationship with Him. My prayer is that these messages encourage you to seek God first, trust His direction, and allow Him to guide every step of your journey.