6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways. -- James 1:6-8
Tossed by Doubt (James 1:6-8)
Today, we continue our journey word by word, verse by verse, through the book of James!
James 1:6-8 depicts the quality of the asking when we ask the generous, giving God to give us wisdom.
We are instructed to ask:
- in faith
- Without doubting
In faith is a belief that God is the ultimate giver and that we are fully depended upon him to provide.
Without doubting doesn't mean that we have 100% certainty, rather it connotes that we do not teeter back and forth again and again.
The Doubter is:
- like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind
- should not expect to recieve anything from the lord
- double minded
- unstable in all their ways
Now to be clear, doubting is a part of the human experience. The type of doubting that is highlighted here is that of divided allegiance. The word "Double-minded" (dipsychos, δίψυχος) pictures this best as it describes one who hesitates between two different options repeatedly. Therefore, a lack of certainty is not doubt rather an oscilating between one allegiance to another is the doubt pictured here.
When we seek the Lord for wisdom may we do so full of faith and with him as our highest allegiance.
Today
