But He is ready to guide us, not only in our more definite forms of Christian work but in all the affairs of life, business, study, everything we have to do. There is no promise in the Bible more plainly explicit than James i. 5-7, R. V., “But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” This passage not only promises God’s wisdom but tells us specifically just what to do to obtain it. There are really five steps stated or implied in the passage: 1. That we “lack wisdom.” We must be conscious of and fully admit our own inability to decide wisely. Here is where oftentimes we fail to receive God’s wisdom. We think we are able to decide for ourselves or at least we are not ready to admit our own utter inability to decide. There must be an entire renunciation of the wisdom of the flesh. 2. _We must really desire to know God’s way and be willing at any cost to do God’s will._ This is implied in the word “_ask_.” The asking must be sincere, and if we are not willing to do God’s will, whatever it may be, at any cost, the asking is not sincere. This is a point of fundamental importance. There is nothing that goes so far to make our minds clear in the discernment of the will of God as revealed by His Spirit as an absolutely surrendered will. Here we find the reason why men oftentimes do not know God’s will and have the Spirit’s guidance. They are not willing to do whatever the Spirit leads at any cost. It is he that “_willeth to_ do His will” who shall know, not only of the doctrine, but he shall know his daily duty. Men oftentimes come to me and say, “I cannot find out the will of God,” but when I put to them the question, “Are you willing to do the will of God at any cost?” they admit that they are not. The way that is very obscure when we hold back from an absolute surrender to God becomes as clear as day when we make that surrender. 3. _We must definitely __“__ask__”__ guidance._ It is not enough to desire; it is not enough to be willing to obey; we must _ask_, definitely ask, God to show us the way. 4. _We must confidently expect guidance._ “Let him ask in faith nothing doubting,” There are many and many who cannot find the way, though they ask God to show it to them, simply because they have not the absolutely undoubting expectation that God will show them the way. God promises to show it if we expect it confidently. When you come to God in prayer to show you what to do, know for a certainty that He will show you. In what way He will show you, He does not tell, but He promises that He will show you and that is enough.