James 1:5-8
New American Standard Version
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Pastor’s Paraphrase
If, in the midst of such times, you find yourself confused and bewildered by all that is going on around you, remember that you are not alone and call out to God for His wisdom. He will not be displeased that you ask Him but, quite the contrary; you will find Him ready to give His wisdom generously to anyone who seeks it.
However, when you ask God for wisdom, you must be ready to accept it and obey it without question. Anyone who asks God for wisdom but does not have a submissive heart and a teachable spirit should not expect to hear God’s answer because such a person is unstable and undecided, as back and forth as a wave of the ocean blown by the wind. That kind of person won’t get an answer from God because the Lord knows he has divided loyalties, which only leads to a life of uncertainty and confusion.
“How does this help me become more like Him?”
In the stage production, “Run for Your Wife” by playwright Ray Cooney, a London taxi driver is married to two different women. Neither of the wives knows about the other. He spends the daytime with one and the nights with the other. As you might imagine, the majority of the comedy depicts his frantic efforts to care for both of them without their discovering that the other one exists. Other than being in a war zone, can you imagine a more panicked existence?
Fortunately, the story is only a play. In real life, being committed to two wives and families would be an impossibility. Sooner or later, things would fall apart. One person cannot have two such divided loyalties. He would end up being unfaithful to both.
A similar principle is at work in the life of the follower of Christ. When we gave our hearts to the Savior, we became a part of the Bride of Christ – the church. He is the Bridegroom and we committed ourselves to be faithful to Him alone.
There is only one way that we will come to understand the will of God for our lives and know His wisdom for every situation – to live a life of faithfulness to this commitment. The believer that seeks God’s plan and wisdom only when his own plans run his life aground is a believer that will not receive such direction from the Lord. He’s “married to two wives” – the spouse of his own agenda and self-will and the Lord to whom he promised faithfulness. He cannot be blown back and forth between the two and expect any stability in his spiritual life. Can you imagine how your spouse would respond if they found out that you had another husband or wife somewhere else? They would be deeply hurt and they would not allow it to continue. In the same way, the Lord Jesus will not honor spiritual infidelity.
Jesus said, “No one can fully serve two masters. He is bound to hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24, J. B. Phillips) However, the good news is that when we give our undivided loyalty and commitment to Him, He is always willing to give to us the wisdom, direction, and love that we need in life. He pours out freely upon us that which we need to know in order to follow Him by faith. No matter that our emotions may sometimes lie to us in the midst of stormy times, He promises that He will never abandon us or forsake us.
“How should I pray for Him to change my life?”
Reaffirm to the Lord today the commitment of your heart and life to Him first above all else. Thank Him that He freely gives you the wisdom and direction that you need to follow Him even through confusing times. Pray that you would have the strength to depend upon Him and follow Him in every situation.
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