Semper Fi

The Nativity message guide's weekly Scripture reading directed me to James 1 today. I am back on track with daily Scripture reading (full disclosure- this morning is when I read all the message guide's suggested passages from Monday to today). The theme of the readings is faith: Jesus leading Thomas and the disciples to renewed faith in the risen Lord in John 20, faith as the victory that overcomes the world in 1 John 5, and a recounting of the acts of faith from salvation history in Hebrews 11 (read this, by the way, if you read nothing else--it's a concise history lesson about faith from Abel to David, with great eloquence about conquering the world with faith).

In James 1, we are assured that we will meet trials, but that this testing of our faith produces steadfastness. The words "trials," "testing" and "steadfastness" are words we expect to hear about the strong Old Testament figures, like Moses and Abraham, and those that surrounded Christ, like the disciples and Mary. But us? We are lacking, right? We don't have that kind of wisdom and fortitude.

Maybe not right now, but we have access to wisdom: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him." (James 1:5). When we ask for wisdom, we need to do this in faith and not as a "double-minded man" who is "unstable in all his ways." (James 1:8).

I've asked God for help, for wisdom, in the past, but it wasn't necessarily from a perspective of faith. I'd call it more the "begging God" to help me clean things up in my life or the lives of others. It was more of an "I'll-hedge-my-bets-by-praying-for-help-in-case-He's-there" theory of operation. I was a "double-minded man." I lacked faith, and then when God didn't step in and clean up all the mess of life, or at least give me the tools to do it, that added to my doubt.

I do think God graces us with assistance even when we pray as a double-minded man. He meets us along the way. He rejoices in those tiny steps we take towards Him, even when they are laced with doubt. If He didn't, I wouldn't be writing this blog. But full-out wisdom? We need faith and the ethic to consistently talk to Him and ask His guidance for that. 

The goal is Semper Fi. The reality for many, me included, is Ocassio Fi. If we want wisdom, we need faith first.

Here's praying that we can work through doubt and become single-minded.