James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Wisdom is No Better Than Its Source
If you are anxious of mind this morning, it is probably because you either know what you must do today and the challenge frightens you, or you do not know what you must do today and you feel undecided as to the right decisions to make.
James 1 tells us Who to ask, why to ask, and how to ask for wisdom. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” It goes on to say that God “giveth to all men liberally,” simply, without scolding, and “upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Sometimes I don’t know what God’s will is, but when it comes to wisdom, I do know. God wants me to know His mind for my problem. God’s wisdom is a practical understanding of what to do.
Verse 6 says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” We are to ask of God in faith. We are to do this because “it shall be given” to the person who asks God for wisdom in faith. So, what does it mean to ask in faith, and what does it mean to waver? What it means to “waver” is clarified by the following verse. “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
Does that mean that if I don’t have the right feeling, I am not asking in faith? No, this is not about sentiment at all; it is about a decision you make. It is a matter of focus, not a matter of feelings. The Bible says, “A double minded man in unstable in all his ways.” It does not say a man of double feeling, though that could be the result of being “double minded.”
Later, in James 4, it says, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” We are talking about a focus, a single-minded asking of God for wisdom. People often say, “God, I need wisdom.” Then they read, listen, or watch someone else, and make their decision based on that input instead of the input that God has given in His Word and by His Spirit. We want to feel right, but that comes after acting right. God’s wisdom is a very practical wisdom.
So, who else are you asking; who else are you watching; and to whom are you listening? Your wisdom will be no better than its source. Asking in faith is not a matter of how you feel but a matter of how you are focused. Are you asking God and seeking His answer alone, or are you clouded, muddled, and wavering because of other people to whom you are listening? You can know God’s wisdom when you seek His guidance and focus on Him alone.