No Doubt
Doubt blocks blessing.
That's the lesson of James 1:5-8 (TNIV), "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 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. Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; they are double-minded and unstable in all they do."
James pulls no punches here. If you want wisdom, then ask for it, and believe that you're going to get it. Don't doubt. Don't sit there and think that your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, or that God's not up to it today, or that your request isn't near the top of God's "To Do" list today. If you want to receive wisdom from God, if you want to be blessed by Him, then believe that it's going to happen, and that He's going to do it. If you don't have this faith, then your doubt will block God's blessing in your life.
This world is filled with too many people who pray to God, but don't really believe that He's listening, or that He's going to respond, or that He's going to provide. It's pretty easy to understand why this ticks God off. If you wanted something from me, but deep down you didn't trust me or believe me or have faith in me to provide it for you, then I, too, wouldn't be very enthusiastic about giving it to you.
Asking and expecting go hand-in-hand. Ask God for something, and expect that He's going to provide what you need, and you'll get exactly what you expected. God's provision.
Asking and doubting also go hand-in-hand. Ask God for something, but doubt that He's going to provide what you need, and you'll also get exactly what you expected. Nothing.
If you're doubting, then don't expect to receive anything from God.
If you're believing, then expect to receive generously from Him.
It's your choice.
That's the lesson of James 1:5-8 (TNIV), "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 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. Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; they are double-minded and unstable in all they do."
James pulls no punches here. If you want wisdom, then ask for it, and believe that you're going to get it. Don't doubt. Don't sit there and think that your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, or that God's not up to it today, or that your request isn't near the top of God's "To Do" list today. If you want to receive wisdom from God, if you want to be blessed by Him, then believe that it's going to happen, and that He's going to do it. If you don't have this faith, then your doubt will block God's blessing in your life.
This world is filled with too many people who pray to God, but don't really believe that He's listening, or that He's going to respond, or that He's going to provide. It's pretty easy to understand why this ticks God off. If you wanted something from me, but deep down you didn't trust me or believe me or have faith in me to provide it for you, then I, too, wouldn't be very enthusiastic about giving it to you.
Asking and expecting go hand-in-hand. Ask God for something, and expect that He's going to provide what you need, and you'll get exactly what you expected. God's provision.
Asking and doubting also go hand-in-hand. Ask God for something, but doubt that He's going to provide what you need, and you'll also get exactly what you expected. Nothing.
If you're doubting, then don't expect to receive anything from God.
If you're believing, then expect to receive generously from Him.
It's your choice.
posted by Stephen Guschov at 10:26 AM
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