James 1:5 IBS Application

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

This passage from James is fascinating to me. It would be all too easy to determine it’s meaning at face value without looking at the larger context. It wouldn’t necessarily be wrong to look at the singular truth contained within this one sentence without the context, but I feel as though some of the greater meaning is lost without reading all that James has to say in this first chapter.

The immediate context has to do with talking about how the members of the Church ought to see trials. It’s initially an encouragement to not necessarily look forward to trials, but rather to take heart in the midst of a trial, because through trials, we are made more like Christ, more like the complete creation God made us to be. In this way, trials are necessary to a Christian’s growth.

This passage, relative to the immediate context, is James’ direction to Believers as to how we need to deal with trials. Wisdom from God is necessary to successfully navigate a trial. But according to James in verses 6-8 that if we ask with doubt in our hearts, then we are incapable of receiving wisdom. Receiving wisdom requires complete trust in God’s ability to guide us through trials.

He goes on to explain that no trial or temptation comes from God, and that only that which is good comes from Him. But the next part is what catches my attention. Verses 19 and 20 call for everyone to be eager to listen, and slow to speak or get angry in the midst of trials. I believe that this is closely tied to James’ advice earlier on in verse 4, where he tells us to maintain our patience so that we can be made more perfect through the fires of trials.

So often I find that in trials I lack patience. I’m not quick to listen, but I am quick to cry out in distress, and then in anger, asking God why He has let me fall into whatever mess I’m in. And I speak up so much that I drown out God’s voice in the already loud, thundering storm as He tries to speak to me, and give me wisdom. Either that, or I fail to ask in the first place. In which case, when things get bad, I impatiently ask why I’m not receiving guidance.

But in these moments, I’m not demonstrating a reverence of God, because my eyes are on me, and not God. I believe that God’s message to me through this passage is to be open to receiving wisdom in trials as I face them, asking first to receive it, but without doubt and without selfish fear. Then, ask again and again without complaint in patience, and I will receive whatever wisdom I need on God’s perfect timing, knowing that He gives this wisdom freely.

For a practical application, though, I will seek wisdom every day, regardless of whether I am facing a trial that day or not. I will ask diligently for wisdom every day when I wake up and before I go to bed, patiently waiting for Him to answer, and I will attempt to do this every day for the remainder of our time training here.