This post is Day 3 in a series of studies about “James”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

James – Day 3

How do we get rid of our doubts? It is so easy to say, but can be so difficult to do. We can encourage ourselves by remembering past answers to prayer. And reminding ourselves of what He has done for us in days gone by, even without our prayers!

James 1:6-8

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

The Thought

Reading this verse makes me ask “Who will get it right, Lord?” Most of us have doubts from time to time, and none of us want to be dismissed by the Lord as unstable. James is trying to teach us to approach the Lord with absolute confidence that He will answer our prayers.

How do we get rid of our doubts? It is so easy to say, but can be so difficult to do. We can encourage ourselves by remembering past answers to prayer. And reminding ourselves of what He has done for us in days gone by, even without our prayers!

The other way to believe more, and to increase our faith, is to read the Word of God and to read other people’s testimonies, to see what God has done in other circumstances and be assured that He has no favourites. Because what He has done for others He will do for you and me. He wants us to believe in Him more. He wants us to live His abundant life, and the trials we have to go through to get there are so that our faith will increase, and so that we can tell our stories to others. Be encouraged.

Action

Praise God that He has only good things in His heart for you. Praise Him that He is leading you into a greater understanding of who He is and how much He loves you.

Pray for your doubts to be chased away by an assurance of His love.

Look back on some of the prayers you have seen answered, and be encouraged.