James 1:5-8

"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

There are a couple of particular areas I am feeling an acute need for wisdom:  career/job change/potentials, interactions with specific people, navigating aging parent issues.   Often I am afraid of making decisions because I am afraid it is not the very best decision.  So I waffle back and forth, agonize, and worry.   I think I sometimes miss the gift of wisdom because I miss the peace that comes with trusting God to work all things together for good.  
*‘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.  There can be an undergirding security in the midst of this kind of questioning or doubt:  trusting God's love and His good intentions for us and for others.

               Think about someone (or yourself), 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[person]”, (verse 7), should not logically expect God to answer their prayer, because if their loyalty is divided, behavior will be inconsistent,  commitment and sincerity lacking.

            In my current situation, it would be helpful to recognize my own motivation for seeking wisdom.  Am I aiming to be something special like a “notch above the others” (where really it is all about me), or am I aiming to love well?  I need to let go of the desire, hope, and expectation that I will be a great _______________, and cling to God as the Great One who fills people with the Holy Spirit, empowering them to love with divine love.  I need and want wisdom so that what I choose to do won’t simply be in hope of some personal satisfaction or recognition. I hope and pray my personal ambition can be subservient to the love of God, that the wisdom God grants me will lead others to ponder the beauty and wonder of God, the horror of sin, and our need for relationship with Jesus.

            In what area do you need wisdom right now?  What have you been praying about? What are driving your requests to God? Is it a whole hearted love for God or a heart divided with self-serving desire?  Thankfully, we can approach God in any state of being, and receive both grace and mercy to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 underscores this and empowers us to live Deuteronomy 6:5 .  May God grant each of us the wisdom to recognize the state of our heart, and the action(s) that can/should be taken to move toward wholeheartedly loving God and loving others, and may He help us to trust in His faithfulness.

               Read and pray:  Proverbs 1, Psalm 51