Faith Cuts Right Through Doubt
In today’s chosen scripture, James is talking about praying for wisdom. He says that we should pray for it because God gives it generously to those who ask for it. When we ask, we are to trust that God is going to give it to us. He will answer our questions. He will reveal solutions to problems that are challenging or confusing us.
Scripture:
“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 1:6-8
Observation/Application:
This scripture is telling us that we are to pray to and trust God for wisdom. From there, we should be expecting. We should be anticipating answers and exuding optimism. We have to consider it a done deal. Without question. Without doubt.
Let’s look at some word translations and meanings. The Greek word for doubt is distazo. Breaking that down…
- “Dis” means “double”, or “two”.
- “Stasis” means stance. going two ways, shifting between positions; choosing “a double-stance” and hence vacillate (waver); (figuratively) uncertain at a crossroad because refusing to choose one way over the other; to halt between two opinions (views, beliefs).
How does this apply to the scripture? In short, we cannot be at one with the Will of the Father if we have two positions. If we believe, that would be one position. If we are unsure, that would be a second position. Doubt means we believe there can be two outcomes. Faith means there can only be one outcome. With faith, we have one position, one belief.
When you are in faith, when you know, your position is strong and stable. It’s kind of like water skiing on one ski versus two. When you are on one ski, you are stable, cutting through the water. When you have two skis on, your legs wobble with each of the bumps on the water. A single ski cuts through the water like a knife. It moves the water out of the way versus the water moving the skis up and down.
Image courtesy of: market208
Just like that, faith moves the bumps of life, our obstacles, our challenges out of our way. Faith cuts right through the water, and carves out a wave of its own. Let us not walk in doubt, being tossed around to and fro. But let us walk in faith, cutting through the noise, and creating our own waves for God.
#Faith-Cuts-Right-Through-It-All
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your Word today. Thank you for your constant revelation in wisdom, in creative thoughts, in every area of my life. Guide me today as I seek your direction, as I seek your Will. Help me make right choices. Help me listen first and listen intently, so that I can hear you. Let your kingdom come, your Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. We thank you now for what you have done, and we anxiously anticipate what you are about to do. We give you all the honor and glory, in Jesus mighty name. Amen.
Today’s full reading: Isaiah 29-31; James 1
Scripture References From Today’s Reflection:
- “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7
- “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1
- “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” – Ephesians 3:20
- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; – Proverbs 3:5
- “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’.” – Matthew 19:26