Bible Study: James 1:5-8

 Bible Study: James 1:5-8 “When You Don’t Know What To Do”

Right after he gets done telling us to “count it all joy” when we “meet trials of various kinds,” James moves forward into something practical, something that makes sense, something we can get behind.

 

Understand that trials are often trying because they confuse us more than they hurt. They expose to us, if not others, what we don’t know. They force us to make decisions we don’t feel confident making. Could you imagine picking your college major with “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers, let him go. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. My mother told me to pick the very best major and that is pre-med!”

 

Oh no! God wanted you to. become a pastry chef! (Leave a comment as to how you chose your field of study.)

 

James has a better idea:

 

The text reads:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.

 

This is one of those verses that sound nice by themselves and is often misquoted that way, therefore it is quoted out of context. (Verses are often quoted out of context. It’s important you know to whom the Scripture was written and under what circumstances. Also, read the verses before and after it.)

 

James seems to assume he’s writing to believers who are going through a time of limited clarity. (Believers in the dispersion.) Not a lack of intelligence necessarily, or faith, but of wisdom.

 

In this regard, wisdom is the ability to see what is happening from God’s perspective and respond to the circumstances appropriately. It’s knowing what faithfulness looks like when the path isn’t obvious.

 

James says if you lack it, ask for it. We aren’t called to beg in desperation, though we often wait until that point before we do ask. We aren’t to put on a performance, and certainly we shouldn’t pretend that we already know the answer.

 

Ask God. Remarkably, James says God will give generously and without reproach. He doesn’t shame us for asking, scold us for not already knowing, and He certainly isn’t irritated by our need. That matters, particularly to people who learned to fear approaching their own parents.

 

Sometimes we might assume a hardship is punishment and therefore we hesitate to approach God. We also might believe we should already have the knowledge and maturity to handle it, but James says differently.

 

He tells us to ask and then he adds a warning: “But let him ask in faith, without doubting…For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James1:6-8 ESV)

 

He isn’t condemning honest questions. He’s addressing divided loyalty.

 

Double mindedness isn’t intellectual curiosity. It’s wanting God’s help while still reserving the right to reject His direction if we don’t like it. It’s asking for wisdom while quietly hoping the answer aligns with what we already decided to do.

 

Have you ever had somebody come to you for advice time and time again but every time you give them an answer, they do something different, or the complete opposite? Time after time they come to you, after you give them sound advice they choose to do their own thing. How long before you tell them, “Don’t keep coming to me because you never listen?”

 

Faith in God’s wisdom ties directly back to trials. Hardships expose where our trust actually rests. When pressure hits we either lean fully into God’s authority, or we try standing with one foot in faith and one foot in self-rule.

 

That’s not how this works. Remember that “doulos” lesson from before? The bondservant, the person who choses to put themselves under the authority of another? That’s what we do when we chose to follow Christ. It’s an all-or-nothing situation, not a when-it-makes-us-feel-good situation.

 

James calls us to consistency. Ask boldly. Trust fully. Stand steadily. Follow that progression.

 

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1.     When you’re facing a difficult situation, do you more readily ask God for relief or wisdom?

2.     Have you ever asked God for wisdom when deep in your heart you already knew you were going to do it your way?

3.     What would it take for you to ask God for wisdom with a fully surrendered heart?

 

These situations show up in work decisions, family conversations, financial pressure, and in family struggles. I would enjoy the opportunity to discuss the answers to these questions further with you in the comments.

 

All the best!