Ask in faith without any doubting... what's that supposed to mean?

Question

In James 1:6 (NASB)

But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

Does that mean that God will do it or that God can do it if He wills?

Answer 1

James 1:6

But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

Faith can be shaken by doubts and wind. This reminds me of the scene when Jesus told Peter at Matthew 14:

29“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Peter saw the wind and his faith was shaken by doubts. God wants to encourage us to have faith in his being and in his power.

Another example of this is found in Matthew 15:

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

23 Jesus did not answer a word.

Initially, Jesus ignored her. His priority was the Jews.

So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

25The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

Refusing to take a no, the woman begged him.

26He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

27“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

28Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

God wants to encourage the askers to demonstrate their faith in God's power.

A 3rd example is in Daniel 3:

16Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

They believed that God was able and willing to deliver them. Moreover even if God didn't, they would still believe in God. That's faith. That's not doubt. THey had faith in God's being and power.

Ask in faith without any doubting… what's that supposed to mean? Does that mean that God will do it or that God can do it if He wills?

I take James 1:6 as a general rule of thumb and not as an absolute, universal, and mathematically precise statement. We cannot use the verse to demand God to work for us. Rather, the verse encourages us to have faith in God's being and power and discourages us from having doubts. Even if God says no, keep the faith and don't doubt.

Answer 2

The answer has nothing to do with asking in faith. We ask in faith because of God's faithfulness - not because we expect to get what we asked.

We ask because we know He hears us - what He does is His business.

Daniel knew that God will do what He will - perhaps according to Daniels request, maybe not - but ALWAYS for Daniel's good and to God's glory!

If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.” Daniel 3:16

That is the only reason we pray - whether a request, thanks, praise or repentance - that we believe God is working for our good. As He has said through Paul.

being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

If there is doubt, there is distrust and unbelief. This is normal - Jesus too had a small measure of this. That's why he is our intercessor - he knows what it is like and works for our good - even if through times of doubt. He wants to grow our faith and trust which leads to deeper obedience - just as it did for him.

Answer 3

The Bible is very clear: if you ask, then God will do it.

Matt 7.7-8

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Note that there are no qualifiers here. No requirements of having faith, or only asking for things you "deserve", or only asking things for other people. It's a very bold statement.

So where does faith come in? At a superficial level, faith is obviously needed to ask truthfully rather than performatively (e.g. for the benefit of those around you).

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. Matt 6.5

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Heb 11.6b

But there is a more subtle point, that to ask honestly requires singleness of purpose, e.g. not with one part of ourselves wanting something and the other part not wanting it. Here we are not talking about doubting God, but doubting ourselves. There is a sanhedrin in our minds telling us that we don't really want something, or don't really deserve it, or that we won't be happy if we had it, or that maybe we should have something else instead. There are infinite variations but the bottom line is always "not this". God hears that cacophony just as loudly as the words we choose to say.

Imagine someone hearing a marriage proposal with hesitation in the voice. Well, do you want this or don't you? First make up your mind, and then ask. That expression, "make up your mind", refers to acting with singleness of purpose.

James 1.5-8

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

So like the offended lover, God tells us to go back, make up our mind, and then return to him when we are no longer double minded.

And now the kicker is that the mind of Christ within us is at war with the carnal mind. Thus half our mind wants one thing and the other half wants something else, and this forces believers to be double-minded, paralyzing them and making it even harder for believers to ask than for non-believers to ask!

This is the uncanny valley of faith, which continues until we no longer give importance to what the carnal mind is saying. While we are in this uncanny valley, believing in God but doubting ourselves, the consolation is that we can at least pray for other people, because the mental sanhedrin is not as loud as when you are praying for gifts to be given to someone you love. Thus the paralysis drives us to fellowship and dependence on each other, provided we tell each other our needs and then pray for each other.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Gal 6.2.

How can there be a burden too hard to carry when we have the power of God? Because we cannot yet carry our own burden, even though it is light.

Exiting the uncanny valley is where faith really comes in, not just the easy faith that God has the power to give and that God hears us, but the harder faith of no longer giving importance to the carnal mind, so that we can ignore the chorus of judgement in our heads, seeing Christ as all and in all, at which point we can also ask for ourselves with one honest voice.