A Promise Shored Up by Three Conditions

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” (James 1:5-8)

The promise God offers us in this passage is that he will give generously. What is it that he promises to give? It’s wisdom. God goes beyond promising us the lesser things of life like riches, health, success, prestige. He desires to give us wisdom. What wisdom is not is knowledge. Wisdom is knowing what the best way is to please God in our particular circumstances.

This gift of wisdom is hedged in by three conditions that the petitioner must bring. First, he must lack wisdom. It is humbling to say to God, “Lord, I am a pauper in knowing what you wish for me to do. I do not know how best to love you in this situation.  I lack wisdom.” Second, the petitioner must petition God; he must ask. Asking displays our childlike dependency on God as our Father. Third, we must ask in faith, not doubt. Doubt literally means “to be in two minds.” The best way to battle doubt is with thanks. When we ask God for the wisdom that we lack, we praise him for giving it to us before it comes.

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