The Great Author and Perfecter of Our Faith Copy

November 4th, 2026
by Gary Cheaney

Stop Riding the Waves — Drop the Anchor

SCRIPTURE:
James 1:5-8 CSB - Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God -- who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly -- and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.

OBSERVATION:
In James chapter 1, James—Jesus' half-brother—warns us about the dangers of double-mindedness and shows us how to overcome it.

He gives us three steps to free ourselves from being double-minded:

Admit that you need wisdom.
Ask God, who gives generously.
Apply it without doubting.

These steps sound simple—but living them out can be a struggle. Even saying “easier said than done” shows how easily doubt creeps in.

In the Greek, the word translated as “double-minded” means:

Wavering, uncertain, doubting.
Divided in interest.
Vacillating in opinion or purpose.

I’ll be honest—today I find myself in need of wisdom, yet I’m vacillating, wondering whether God will actually give it.

So the question is: How do we avoid becoming double-minded?

APPLICATION:
Men far wiser than I am have shared deep insights into overcoming doubt, fear, vacillation, and double-mindedness. Here are a few:

In trials, we need wisdom far more than we need knowledge. Knowledge is raw information, but wisdom knows how to use it. Someone once said: Knowledge is the ability to take things apart, but wisdom is the ability to put things together. — David Guzik

On God’s generosity:

This is added, lest anyone should fear to come too often to God… for He is ready ever to add new blessings to former ones, without any end or limitation. — John Calvin

On how we should ask:

It does not say, “Let him buy of God, let him demand of God, let him earn from God.” Oh no—"let him ask of God.” It is the beggar’s word... and God will give to you far more liberally than you give to the poor. You must confess that you have no merit of your own.— Charles Spurgeon

On instability:

The man who is not thoroughly persuaded that if he asks of God he shall receive, resembles a wave of the sea… driven by the wind and tossed: now rising by hope, then sinking by despair. — Adam Clarke

On divided loyalty:

The man of two souls—who has one for the earth and another for heaven: who wishes to secure both worlds; he will not give up earth, and he is loath to let heaven go.— Adam Clarke

But not all doubt is double-mindedness. Remember the man who said:

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

That man wasn’t double-minded—his faith was weak, yes, but sincere. He wanted to believe. That is not the same as divided loyalty. — David Guzik

Today, may we ask and believe that God will answer. The real question is whether we will receive and apply His wisdom by faith.

Do you believe that God can give you wisdom, and that He will do so if you ask Him? Then go at once to Him and say, ‘Lord, this is what I need.’ Specify your wants, state your exact condition, lay the whole case before God as if telling your story to a wise and compassionate friend… and then say, ‘Lord, this is specifically what I think I need, and I ask this of You, believing that You can give it.’ – Charles Spurgeon

PRAYER:
Jesus, I confess that at times I struggle to trust You. There are moments when I feel like a ship driven by the wind and waves—unstable, uncertain. Yet like the man in Mark 9, I say: “Lord, I believe—help my unbelief.” Help me trust what You’ve promised. Grant me wisdom to keep going and grace to overcome my tendency to vacillate. Let my faith grow stronger as I ask, believe, and apply Your truth today.

Double-mindedness isn't cured by trying harder to believe — it's cured by bringing your honest, specific need to a God who gives wisdom generously and ungrudgingly to everyone who asks.

Posted in 20 - James