"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord: he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
single minded seeking
Why is it that I am wanting wisdom today? Is it so that I will be a great teacher and others will see that? Do I simply want to be esteemed by others? Am I afraid of making a poor decision? Or is it so that I can rightly communicate some Truth so that God would be glorified? Does it really matter what my motive is? Or is the important issue that I ask for the right thing (in this case, wisdom)?
- ‘faith’, pistis, means more than a belief that God will give what we ask; it is active and includes confident, unwavering trust in God.
- ‘doubting’, diakrino, means to differentiate and includes the idea of judging and disputing with oneself. This implies that James is not talking about intellectual doubt, but rather about conflicted loyalties.
These are important distinctions. Grasping complex intellectual concepts is often a result of intellectual doubt or questioning, and I do not believe this is being discouraged. We need to have courage to ask our questions, dare to search for answers, and accept that we will likely fail to grasp everything. Wonder can be, actually should be, part of our intellectual development. The undergirding security in the midst of this kind of questioning or doubt, is trusting God's love and His good intentions for us and for others.
Think about yourself, or others you know when they (or you), are conflicted in loyalties. One who is divided like that tends to change according to circumstance, as James says, like a wave on the sea. “That man”, (verse 7), should not logically expect God to answer his prayer, because if his loyalty is divided, his behavior will be inconsistent, and his sincerity lacking.
Think about yourself, or others you know when they (or you), are conflicted in loyalties. One who is divided like that tends to change according to circumstance, as James says, like a wave on the sea. “That man”, (verse 7), should not logically expect God to answer his prayer, because if his loyalty is divided, his behavior will be inconsistent, and his sincerity lacking.
In my current situation, I must recognize my own motivation for seeking wisdom in preparing these meditations. I need to let go of the desire, hope, and expectation that I will be a great teacher, and cling to God as the great teacher. I do need His wisdom so that what I write will not just be vain words written in hope of some personal recognition. If my love and devotion to God is pure, I will want wisdom so that what I write will lead others to ponder the beauty and wonder of God, the horror of sin, and our need for relationship with Jesus.
In what ways do you need wisdom right now? What have you been praying about? Are your requests made out of a whole hearted love for God or are they coming from a heart divided with self-serving desire? Read Deuteronomy 6:5. Can this be done with double-minded thinking? What action(s) can/should you take to move in the direction of full allegiance to God?
Read and pray: Proverbs 1, Psalm 51; Matthew 19:16-26
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