Recovery is all about making wise decisions. So let’s talk about it – wisdom.
We often mistake knowledge for wisdom. But if you have to pick one, take wisdom every time. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts; wisdom tells you what to do with those facts. President Coolidge said it like this: “Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.”
Let me illustrate. Someone asked me how I like my eggs. I said, “In a cake.” That’s wisdom – the ability to turn the ordinary (eggs) into something much better (cake).
In recovery, when your knowledge becomes wisdom, several things will change. You will start going to bed earlier. You’ll get off social media before you go to bed. You will let your spouse know where you are at all times. You’ll check in with your sponsor when you are struggling. You will avoid people, places, and predicaments that are known triggers. You will avoid certain TV shows. You’ll remove your glasses when you’re at the beach.
The brother of Jesus weighed in on the subject: “Wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).
Recovery Step: You need knowledge. But you really need wisdom. I suggest the following two steps: (a) ask God for wisdom, and (b) use the wisdom you already have.
