James 1:4-8

COMMENTS

In the last discussion, I realized that I didn’t get to the last phrase in verse 4; but I left it because it fit well with the next few verses.

 

NOTES

In James 1:4, James told me that I should persevere so that I can be “mature and complete”.  The next phrase seems to expand on that:  “not lacking anything”.  Doesn’t it seem obvious that if I’m “complete”, I’m “not lacking anything”?  I mean, if I lack something, I’m not complete.  Right?  But “perseverance must finish it work”, so I’m not there yet.  I’m not yet “complete”.

What’s interesting is how that thought is continued in the following verse.  Of all the things I lack that he could choose to specify, James chooses wisdom.  He says that if I ask God for wisdom, He’ll give it to me.

My thoughts immediately flew to Solomon.  You can find this story in 1 Kings 3:5-14.  God told Solomon to ask for anything.  He asked for “a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong”—wisdom.  God was so pleased with Solomon’s request that He also gave him riches and honor.

This passage tells me that God wants to give me wisdom, too.  It says all I have to do is ask!  But then James attaches a warning:

“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…”

I’ll be honest, that qualifier seems to put this out of my reach.  I want to be full of faith and never doubt, but doubt creeps in.  Why?  Maybe it’s because I feel so unworthy, so undeserving of His favor.  But the statement was NOT that He’ll give it if I deserve it; it was that He’ll give it if I ask for it and trust that He keeps His word. 

1 Samuel 16:7b tells us that “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  So, what does my heart look like?  My heart, even when it doubts, longs NOT to doubt!  My heart longs to be like Jesus and to please Him.  Maybe the doubter James is talking about here is someone who wavers back and forth in his/her commitment to Him—today, she longs to please Jesus; tomorrow, she could care less about Him and longs only to please herself.  I’m just thinking here—maybe I’ve oversimplified it or missed the mark completely because sometimes I can be pretty self-centered.  But I sincerely believe that the “not doubting” has something to do with my heart condition.

Perhaps, before I pray for wisdom I should be like the father in Mark 9:24 who brought his son to Jesus to be healed.  This was his prayer:

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”