Day 3 from 30 Days in James. God gives wisdom generously, and He does not scold you for needing to ask.
From 30 Days in James Devotional
Day 3: Ask Like You Mean It
James 1:5-8
If you've ever sat in the middle of a mess and honestly didn't know what to do, James has good news for you: God isn't bothered by your confusion. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." That last phrase is the one that gets me. God gives without scolding. He doesn't roll His eyes when you come back for the hundredth time still unsure. He gives generously, without making you feel stupid for needing to ask.
James does tell us to ask in faith. That doesn't require a faith that never struggles, but it does mean we can't keep playing both sides. James paints a picture that anyone who's been on a boat can appreciate: a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. It goes wherever the wind pushes it. That's what happens to the double-minded man.
Double-mindedness isn't doubt. Doubt is honest wrestling. Even the father in Mark 9 cried out, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief!" and Jesus didn't turn him away. The double-minded person wants God's answer while keeping his other options open. It's asking for wisdom on Sunday and living by your gut on Monday. It's spiritual hedging.
James says that person shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord. God isn't being stingy. The person asking is treating prayer like a poll. They want God's input alongside the world's input, and they'll go with whoever sounds better in the moment. They've turned prayer into a focus group.
God is looking for people who will ask and then actually lean into the answer, even when it doesn't line up with what they wanted to hear. Wisdom isn't always comfortable. But it's always worth it. So ask like you mean it. And when God answers, don't start shopping for a second opinion.
Reflect 1. Is there a decision in your life right now where you've been asking God for wisdom but also keeping a backup plan that doesn't require faith?
2. When God has given you clear direction in the past, how quickly did you act on it, and what happened when you delayed?
Pray God, I lack wisdom and I know it; give me the courage to ask with an undivided heart and to follow wherever Your answer leads.
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This excerpt is shared for ministry reading. It is not the full book.