To read the rest of A Journey through James 1, start HERE.
James 1:6-8
But when you ask, 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 anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Okay, I’ll admit it… This is a hard passage, and today’s study is a bit longer than normal, but I hope you’ll stick with me! As I’ve been memorizing James 1, every time I get to this section, I gulp and think to myself “Oh man! That’s rough!” After thinking about this section for quite a while and praying for clarity, I decided to check out one of my favorite commentaries about these verses, and I found it to be helpful. In his commentary, Warren Wiersbe clarifies, “James not only explained what to ask for (wisdom), but he also described how to ask. We are to ask in faith.” (Wiersbe, 2007, p.853)[1]
This is a call to stand firm in our faith. To be anchored in Jesus. To believe we are secure in Him and to remember that we don’t need to be afraid despite the storms of life all around us. For me, this brings to mind the story of Jesus calling Peter out of the boat to join Him on the water in Matthew 14. When Peter first steps out of the boat, he kept his eyes on Jesus and, amazingly, he was able to walk on the water. Yet he quickly became distracted by the daunting environment surrounding him.
Matthew 14:30-31
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
In His faithfulness, Jesus rescued Peter while also admonishing him for his doubt. Peter had seen Jesus perform many signs and wonders, and he had chosen to follow Jesus because he truly believed He was the Messiah. But when he took his eyes off of Jesus in the midst of the storm, his faith was shaken and doubt sprang up, causing him to flounder and sink. Even so, in His mercy, Jesus saved him. His question to Peter was a reminder to hold onto his faith and not doubt, and we are to do the same.
A couple chapters later, in Matthew 17, Jesus healed a demon-possessed boy, and once again He spoke of the importance of faith. In verse 20, He said, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’” Have you ever seen a mustard seed? They are teeny tiny, just barely visible. Knowing that God accepts and honors even a tiny bit of faith gives me hope, and I pray it does for you also.
The story of Jesus healing the same boy is also told in Mark 9, and in this gospel, we are given a few more details, making it even more relatable.
Mark 9:21-24
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “’If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Do ever feel like the boy’s father?? Believing, but in the same moment, pleading with God to help you overcome your doubt? I certainly feel this way at times, and I’m so grateful for this passage, reminding me that I’m not alone in this struggle. It seems that this father had a mustard seed of faith, and Jesus honored that, graciously healing his son in the very next verse.
So, what should our take-away be from James 1:6-8? This side of heaven, we will waver, but with time our aim is to mature and draw closer to God and therefore stand more firmly in our faith. David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) and yet he wrote many psalms that start with him crying out to God in fear and frustration… But that is not how those psalms end. David didn’t stay in a place of anguish or heartache but rather moved toward thanksgiving and joy, knowing God to be sovereign, loving and good. He cried out during the challenges of life, but with acknowledgment of his fears, he then turned his eyes to God once again, grounding himself in his trust in the Lord.
Sometimes we may have doubts or questions, but God wants us to mature in our faith and stand firm in it, knowing we have the victory in Him. Let’s end with a passage from Ephesians 4, highlighting that we can now and will eternally stand firm in Christ.
Ephesians 4:13-15
… until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
[1] Wiersbe, Warren W. (2007). The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook.
Heather L. Myers 