Waves

James 1:5-8 (The Message)

If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father.

He loves to help.

You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it.

Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.

People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

So...who out there knows what they're doing this morning?

Really?

I'll be the first to say that one of the great hopes of life is that as we move through it, we grow and mature. We should learn important lessons, become wiser with the passing of time, and hopefully more at peace, fulfilled, and in perspective.

But...

It seems to me that a key component of the Christian life, no matter how long we live it, is knowing what we do not know.

I do love this translation of James 1: "If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help."

Amen to that.

The scripture is much more clear on this than we tend to be in our own faith.

Ask for help and you'll get it, James says.

But you need to believe it.

There's the tricky part, right? Once again, we learn that prayer is about letting go. It's about trusting God, not ourselves.

Belief is the difference between worry and real prayer.

Worrying says, "God please help me...but I figure that you won't, so I'll do it myself and stress out over whether I'll be able to or not."

Prayer says, "God, I need your help, and I can't do it myself. The answer is yours to give and unfold. I'll respond as you lead me, but I'm not driving this thing or believing in myself. You can do it, and you will."

That's a faith position. Take it from a world-class worrier. Being like a "wind-whipped wave" isn't the life God wants for us. Find a small place (or a big one if you're ready) to trust him today, and see what unfolds into tomorrow.

Prayer: Teach us to ask in prayer...to believe, and not doubt. We grow tired of being tossed about in every direction and seek your strength and direction in our lives.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

Tomorrow's Scripture: Psalm 100