Joy, Belief and Doubt

James 1:2-8- “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ 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. ⁶ 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. ⁷ Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ they are double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

Joy, belief, and doubt. Not exactly things that one would expect to find in the same sentence, but here they are, staring us all in the face. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve read this passage many times, heard it preached multiple times and practically memorized it.

That’s why it was so interesting to read it in the way I did recently.

Now, these thoughts are not all original to me. Again with the number of times I’ve encountered this passage, I didn’t think anything new could even be revealed.

I’ll admit, that sometimes I’ve struggled, things being what they are. Some months are better than others; memories come and go, milestones are passed bringing with them reminders of what was, what could have been. Life moves on for others as well- I’ve encountered friends being told that there was no longer a detectable heartbeat for her long awaited child, and another who just found out that she is expecting all in the same week. What a roller coaster!

I think that’s where this passage fits in for me. Obviously, our journey to have kids has been and sometimes still is a trial for me, these last couple of years especially. According to the Word however, in the face of all this, I must be joyful. Not down in the dumps, having pity party after pity party, but joyous in the fact that I am indeed in a trying time. Why? Simply this. When my faith is tested, perseverance is built, and when this time is complete, it is evidenced by a maturity that is full and complete.  

So how do we get through these times? By asking God for wisdom. Needless to say, anytime we are faced with a difficult circumstance as believer, our first inclination is to ask ‘Why, God?’ Not necessarily a bad question, if done in the right attitude. This doesn’t really get us anywhere though. Instead, our conversation with God should be more an intercession for wisdom, for leading in our current situation.

Often this passage is used in the context of needing wisdom, smarts, and even direction, and while it’s application is not prohibitive of these functions, it is specifically mentioned in the context of trial, of time of struggle, when we are humanely at our weakest points. It is at this point when God chooses to move, not by removing the situation or taking us from our difficulties, but by giving us wisdom to handle where we are. This wisdom comes with two directives. First, ask. Second, believe.

Asking is probably the easier of the two, seeing that it only requires us speaking to God, which ideally is something we do every day. It’s really a simple process if you think about it. Ask. That’s all. James promises that when we ask for wisdom, it will be given to us, undeservedly, unquestioned, never unrequited.  All we have to believe.

I think the challenge with this belief is not in trusting that God can or will give us wisdom, but in actually accepting the wisdom he gives to us. How many times has God given us the wisdom we asked for, only for us to discount or even ignore what He has said? Conveniently, it often seems easier to continue on our own way when God has spoken. It is such a travesty to think that we  act in a manner that shows we know better than the living  God, the source of true, pure, unadulterated wisdom, the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, all because we doubt.

You see, doubt is like changing your mind. When we ask God for wisdom, we are asking for Him to be in charge of our situation, to take things into His hands and do His work. When we doubt, we take that problem, that trial, the situation we face back into our hands and tell God by our actions, if not directly to His face that He is not good enough. That He doesn’t really know what’s best. That we’re ok without Him.

Sobering, I know.

That’s where I am now. In a place of trial, of joy, and I must consider it such. Not that it’s fun, or even something I want to continue doing, but it is an opportunity for growth that wouldn’t have happened otherwise, and for that I can be grateful.

It is also a time for complete reliance on God. Waiting, trusting, resting, but not doubting. I’ve asked for wisdom, and he’s granted it. All I have to do is believe.

So for now, I take joy in my struggle, asking for God to take over through His wisdom, trusting that He does 

know best, and will do what He has promised in due time.