A perceptive word from someone else can help us understand ourselves, even if it is a word of correction. It may come from someone we know personally, or it may come from a professional who is specially trained to offer us insight.

God also offers us counsel, and one of the tools he uses is the Bible. Our Scripture readings for today make clear that God knows us even better than we know ourselves, and that God interacts with us when we read his Word. In fact, while God does this, he is working on our soul.

Spending time in Scripture is more than just a way to get Bible knowledge. Reading God's Word unleashes into our being the power of God's Spirit. It's the way we get the Word working within us. It's the way we discover what it means to have Jesus living in our heart.

Mysterious? Yes. But there's no mystery about how we can tap into this powerful spiritual dynamic. We simply need to take time to read the Bible, making sure we pray for God's Spirit to work in us as we read.

Maybe for some of us that can feel like a duty or chore. But if we're not taking time to be in God's Word, we're missing one of the most important pathways for pursuing wisdom. That will make a difference in how we sense the presence of God in our life.