Take Hold

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.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8)

I used to look at this verse so differently.  I used to read it something like this: “But when you ask, you better believe and not doubt.  If you don’t have enough faith, don’t expect God to bless you.  He withholds blessings from the faithless, as punishment.”  Sounds harsh to write it out in that way, but honestly, I think that I believed this to be true.  I worried about having doubts and questions, afraid God wouldn’t bless me if I didn’t have enough faith.  But lately, I’ve been seeing this verse through a new lens.

The thing we absolutely must understand is that God is a good and loving Father and He ALWAYS desires to bless His kids, in every way imaginable.  Are there times we experience consequences?  Yes.  Are there times He withholds our desires from us?  Yes.  But even then, He does it with our best interest in mind.  Again, He’s a good dad.  God is always extending His blessing towards us, but He never forces us to take them.  We must choose to accept His blessings.

This verse in James infers that when we doubt, we shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord…Why?  There are a lot of things I have doubted throughout my life.  The biggest doubts I have wrestled with have been those concerning my own worth and value.  At times, I have allowed self-doubt to make me question if I even deserve the blessings right in front of me.  I have doubted if I am qualified.  I have doubted if I can really move on from my past.  I have doubted whether God could really use me in a significant way.  I have doubted whether God’s promises can really apply to someone like me.

Picture this.  I am on a boat in the middle of the ocean.  The storm around me reflects the storm that at times wages within me.  With every doubt, insecurity, fear and every lie from Hell I choose to entertain, a wave crashes against me, causing me to be tossed around.  Within the swirl of my thoughts and with every wave that threatens to capsize me, I can’t get my bearings long enough to see what’s right in front of me.

There in the midst of the waves is my good, good Father.  With outstretched arms, He extends His love, goodness and faithfulness towards me.  In His hand, He holds all His promises, more blessings than I can conceive of and His plans for my future.  As my eyes take notice of my loving King with outstretched arms, I am faced with the choice to receive from His love or to continue to be tossed by the waves.  It seems like a simple choice but at times, I have been so thoroughly convinced of the lies that I have delayed in taking His hand.  In those moments, He has patiently waited for me and instructed me in His truth, until I finally gain the confidence to take hold of the blessings He is offering.

It’s not so much that God withholds blessings from us in our times of doubt.  Rather, doubt can at times convince us that we don’t deserve the blessings that are presented to us.  Doubt can convince us that blessings were designed for others, but not for us.  Doubt can convince us to believe lies, rather than choosing to see us through the Father’s eyes.  Doubt can cause us to refuse blessings and keep us from choosing to receive what the Father offers to us as a free gift.  His love, goodness and faithfulness remain constant.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Us?  Not so much.  We are prone to get into a wrestling match with the waves of doubt every now and again.  This short message serves as a reminder.  Your heavenly Father, the creator of the universe, is the one who speaks the Words that calm any storm.  Incline your ear to His voice.  Allow Him to calm the waves of doubt in your heart.  Choose to receive every promise and blessing He has designed for you.  All you have to do is choose to take hold of it.

Take hold.