How the prophet Daniel prayed for wisdom
To learn how to pray for wisdom we turn to an expert. The prophet Daniel had much experience in praying for wisdom as a powerful and successful government official for decades in the superpowers of Babylon and Persia. We look now at a story in Daniel 10 where he shows us the first principle of praying for wisdom successfully.
The chapter opens with Daniel earnestly seeking the Lord, but we are not told why. “In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks” (Daniel 10:2–3).
(The first principle of praying for wisdom is not fasting. You can breathe a sigh of relief.)
For 21 days Daniel is not conducting a total fast but rather is denying himself certain comforts and pleasures. Then he has a vision. An angel appears to him, and he is physically and mentally overwhelmed. The angel says something to Daniel that provides a crucial principle for those seeking wisdom:
“Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words” (Daniel 10:12).
How the prophet Daniel prayed for wisdom
Note the angel’s words, “you set your heart to understand.” I regard that as the first principle of praying for wisdom successfully. For whatever wisdom you need, you must set your heart to understand.
This speaks of determination and persistence. Of setting a clear goal and having a specific focus. You know exactly what you want God to teach you, and you are doing all you can to learn.
For several years, as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ in downtown Chicago, I have been praying daily, “Lord, give me wisdom how to win converts and enfold them in our church as sincere disciples.” I have also been praying, “Give me wisdom how to inquire of you for wisdom successfully.” I am determined. I am working hard on this. I will not give up. With every passing month I am more focused. (I have made significant progress on both requests, and I think I am on the verge of a breakthrough.)
The size and scale of your request
Of course, our prayers for wisdom come in all sizes. We can pray for small or daily matters, and God answers our requests quickly. “Lord, give me wisdom for my conversation with my supervisor at work about how to improve morale on our team.” We pray, we enter the situation with faith, and behold we find that God works wonderful things. He answered our prayer.
But then there are other situations of greater scale, scope, or difficulty, which do not yield to one prayer for wisdom. These require greater determination, focus, and perseverance. You must “set your heart to understand.”
What you are praying for may involve a process, even a long process. For Daniel in this case it took three weeks for him to receive the wisdom he sought. He did not know why it took that long. It was not because of any fault on his part; in fact, the angel commends him as a “man greatly loved” by God (verse 11). It turns out that the delay resulted from a great, invisible conflict occurring behind the scenes in the spiritual world (verses 12–13, 20–21).
Patience
So “setting your heart to understand” means you are prepared to have patience. Without patience you will be disappointed in many requests, and perhaps even become disillusioned and fall into unbelief regarding the promise of James 1:5.
For example, the psalmist faulted the Israelites when they were in the desert, lacking food and water—and thus needing wisdom. He writes: “They soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert” (Psalm 106:13–14). (See Exodus chapters 15–17.)
The Israelites had a legitimate need for food and water, but they allowed their desire to become a “wanton craving,” that is, an excessive desire, an out-of-control desire, an all-consuming, impatient craving that demanded an immediate answer and tested God by attempting to force him to act as they wanted. This wanton craving was marked by unbelief and distrust toward God.
You must not do that when you pray for wisdom. You must be determined but patient. Be prepared: Some of your requests may not be answered for days, weeks, months, years, or even decades, as God in his wisdom works out what is best suited for your highest good and his greatest glory. As always when it comes to prayer, God answers in his time, in his way, according to his will.
Let’s continue next week looking at how the prophet Daniel prayed for wisdom.
Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)