Wisdom And Prayer

Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo, qui dat omnibus affluenter, et non improperat et dabitur ei. Omnis quidem sapientia salutaris a Domino postulanda est, quia sicut vir sapiens ait: Omnis sapientia a Domino Deo est, et cum illo fuit semper. Neque aliquis per liberum arbitrium sine adjutorio gratiae divinae, quamvis Pelagiani multum contendant, intelligere ac sapere valet. Sed hic specialiter de illa sapientia dici videtur, qua nos in tentationibus uti necesse est. Si quis, inquit, vestrum non potest intelligere utilitatem tentationum quae fidelibus probandi causa eveniunt, postulet a Deo tribui sibi sensum, quo dignoscere valeat quanta pietate Pater castigat filios, quos aeterna haereditate dignos efficere curat. Et consulte ait: Qui dat omnibus affluentur, ne quis, videlicet, suae conscius fragilitatis, accipere se petentem posse diffideret, sed potius quisque recoleret quia desiderium pauperum exaudivit Dominus. Et sicut idem alibi dicit: Bendixit omnes timentes se Dominus, pusillos cum majoribus. Verum quia multi multa petunt a Domino, qui tamen accipere non merentur, addit qualiter petere debeant si impetrare desiderant. Sanctus Beda, Super Divi Jacobi Epistolam  Migne PL 93 11-12

'If one of yours is poor in wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to everyone abundantly, and let him not ask in an improper manner and it shall be given to him.' 1 Certainly every saving wisdom is from God, because as the wise man said, 'All wisdom is from the Lord God and with Him it was always.' 2 For not through his own free will, without Divine grace, as the Pelagians contend, is a man able to understand and know. But here especially he seems to speak of the wisdom which we need in trials. If someone, he says, of yours does not understand the usefulness of trials, that they come for the proving of faith, let him ask for understanding from God, by which he may discern how much a caring father disciplines sons, out of concern that they be able to gain an eternal inheritance. And he says, 'He who gives to all abundantly,' lest perhaps someone conscious of his weakness be tardy in seeking to receive, but rather let him be aware that God hearkens to the desire of the poor. 3 And as it says elsewhere 'The Lord blesses those who fear Him, the little with the great.' 4 Because truly many seek much from the Lord, who however are not worthy to receive, so it is added how they should seek if they wish to obtain what they seek. Saint Bede, Commentary on the Letter of Saint James 1 Jam 1.5 2 Sir 1.1 3 Ps 9.38 4 Ps 113.21