The 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit ( WISDOM)

Today's discussion is WORD OF WISDOM

When it comes to acquiring spiritual wisdom, the truth is what while many of us may desire it there are probably few who know what it really is. Wisdom is not the same thing as knowledge. As a matter of fact, you can very easily be acquainted with facts, truths or principles, but if you don’t apply this information to your life, you are actually the opposite of wise. Wisdom, especially spiritual wisdom, is not just about knowing what’s good for you, but applying that knowledge into your everyday life. When you do that, this is when you know that you are truly wise.

How Can One Achieve Spiritual Wisdom?
There is a story in the Bible that speaks of Solomon, a young man who, after God offered him anything his heart desired, he requested wisdom. In response to his humble wish, God said to Solomon:

Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king— wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like (2 Chronicles 1:11-12, NKJV).

Whether or not you are Christian, there is still a lot of personal revelation that can be received from a tale such as this. The Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines wisdom as “knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it.”
The fact that Solomon asked for (not just knowledge) but insight on how to apply the knowledge effectively, he was granted things like riches, wealth and honor. Why? Because once you know what to do with what you have, the universe can entrust you with more. Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.” The Roman writer, Seneca confirms this by saying, “No man was ever wise by chance.”

The pursuit of spiritual wisdom is good for your human trinity (mind, body, spirit). This quest is not some magical thing that comes to some and overlooks others. If you want to be wise, all you have to do is simply make the choice to do so and act on it.

What are the Avenues of Spiritual Wisdom
Spiritual Wisdom.Org/UK is a website that devotes itself to sharing insights on gaining spiritual wisdom. According to the site, spiritual words of wisdom can be obtained through seven ways: discovering the meaning of life; exploring the possibilities of what life is like after death; symbols; your spiritual life; sacred scripture; angels; and divine nature.

The New York Times bestseller The Celestine Prophecy also leads you to believe that these seven avenues all lead to spiritual wisdom. In this fictional book, nine insights are revealed, all of which are believed by the author to lead to personal evolution or spiritual wisdom:
The Ninth Insight is the insight of knowing where we are headed. All other insights create a picture of the world as one of incredible beauty and energy, and of ourselves as increasing in our connection with and thus seeing this beauty. The more beauty we can see, the more we evolve.

A philosophy in spiritual New Age wisdom is you are a spiritual being manifesting consciousness. If you accept an aspect of who you really are, you can live out your life in a state of unconditional abundance and health. Knowing this is knowledge. Applying it to your world is spiritual wisdom.

Tips on Achieving Spiritual Wisdom
So how do you begin applying the spiritual gift of wisdom to your life? There are many ways, but the following seven should inspire you:

Choose wisdom. If you want what’s best for your soul, it starts with making a decision to have it. Far too many people find themselves in debilitating situations simply because they have not chosen not to be there.
Trust your instincts. Oprah Winfrey advised people to trust their instincts because that’s where true wisdom manifests itself. Self-help author Wayne Dyer has said that a person’s intuition is more than just a hunch. To Dyer, instinct is a form of guidance. He views instinct as a way of God talking to us; therefore, this inner insight should never be taken lightly or ignored. Make it a point to pay special attention to the still, small voice inside you. It knows more than you think it does…about most things.
Set boundaries. Once you desire wisdom, the rules for how you live your life will change. You will start to wonder if it’s wise to eat junk food at 10 p.m., or if it’s wise to talk to your ex when he’s broken your heart three times before in the past 2 years. Guarding your soul (your feelings, your heart, your desires) is a path that leads to great spiritual wisdom.
Surround yourself with wisdom. Wise counsel, wise people, wise books - all of these things are avenues of wisdom. Birds of a feather flock together, right? Do you want to be an eagle or a dodo bird?
Learn from your mistakes. The first time might be an accident. The second time might be a mistake. But the third time? That’s a problem. Remember, being wise not only means that you have established information based on facts and truths, but you are now ready to apply them to your life. If you’ve gotten a speeding ticket on a certain street, how wise is it to speed down that road again?
Learn from other people’s mistakes. Chaplain and activist Gail Masondo once said, “Discernment prevents experience from being your teacher.” You, personally, don’t have to go through everything to learn a great lesson from it. Watch and observe. You can learn a PhD in life by enrolling in that class alone.
Choose it daily. One of the greatest pearls of spiritual wisdom that life can ever give you is that, for as long as you are living, you will never have all of the wisdom you need. What you learned yesterday was enough for yesterday. Keep yourself aware that every minute you will be open to the new things that life wants to teach you about your environment, yourself and others. As you evolve, so do the messages that you must add to keep the spiritual evolution going.

Once you have applied these seven principles to your life, you should be well on your way to achieving spiritual wisdom. It doesn’t come overnight, but if you ask and expect it to come (as you need it), you will receive it. For as long as the holistic health of your soul remains a top priority in your life, spiritual wisdom will not be unattainable for you. Actress Margaret Young once said, “Often people attempt to live their lives backwards. They try to have more things or more money, in order to do more of what they want so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.”

How Well Can You Perform Self Analysis?
Understanding why other people act the way they do is one thing, but can you turn the spotlight on yourself and ask why you behave a certain way? The analysis of self is difficult; it's far easier to observe and comment on others. Analysis of the self begins with a desire to learn