Journey through James: 1:6-8
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. — James 1:6-8
After encouraging us to ask God for wisdom, James does give us a little further context. God gives wisdom generously and without reproach. However, God does not give wisdom out flippantly. We shouldn’t just ask for wisdom just to see what happens. We need to ask for wisdom in faith. We need to ask believing that God will answer, willing to accept his answer. God’s wisdom is not always something that makes sense to us. Do not doubt that God will answer our request. God is able and willing to provide. We may frame it as we are doubting ourselves; however, we are doubting God.
How do we doubt when we ask? The word for doubt here means to be divided in one’s mind, to hesitate or doubt. Why would we be divided in mind or hesitant to ask God for wisdom? God’s wisdom does not always line up with our desires. Often time, when we are in the midst of trials, we would rather have the trial end rather than have the wisdom to endure and learn. When we come to ask God, we need to ask knowing that He will answer. We need to be willing to accept and receive His answer. We should not be hesitant or doubt His response. It is foolish to ask God and then doubt or be hesitant about His response.
James tells us that when we do this we are like a wave of the sea. Since many of us live in Iowa, we have to imagine waves of the sea. While Easter Lake is very nice, the waves on Easter Lake are more like ripples. When we think of James’s words, it would be better to think of the waves that we would see on the ocean. Why does James compare us to waves when we ask God but then doubt? It is because waves are unstable and potentially destructive. Waves have no foundation; they go whichever way the wind takes them. If we ask God but then doubt, we are just like a wave. We go whichever way our heart leads us. Instead of letting the truth of God’s Word and His wisdom ground us and establish us, we waver back and forth between two opinions. Not only does this make us unstable like a wave, it can also have destructive consequences in our lives — just like a wave.
James tells us that when we doubt God’s answers, we should not expect to receive anything from God. It is foolish to ask something from God, doubt His response, and then expect to get something from Him. When we go back and forth between two opinions, we are double-minded. We are trying to please both God and our own selfish desires. This makes us unstable in all our ways. This is the opposite of God’s desire for us in James 1:2-4. God uses trials in our lives to strengthen us and establish us. When we endure trials with joy, knowing God is at work, we become steadfast. When we ask God for help but then doubt His answer, we become unstable. And that instability is not just in that one part of our lives, it leads us to be unstable in all our ways. Ask God for wisdom in faith. He will help in our time of need.
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