We are wired to communicate. That’s one of the reasons that mobile phones and text messaging are so popular. But how we communicate is also important. How (and why) you communicate with God is crucially important, as James 1:5–8 points out.
Ask God for wisdom! Do you need wisdom? Ask God! In the Old Testament wisdom is God’s gift. It is related to God, but involves practical knowledge. See Proverbs 8. Wisdom is related to the Holy Spirit, Exodus 31:3. Although the context is the construction of the Tabernacle for the worship of God, the wisdom and skill in craftsmanship extended far more generally. God delights in hearing and answering this prayer, Luke 11:13! God’s gift of wisdom enables you to persevere in trials and testings, James 1:2–4.
God gives you wisdom generously. God doesn’t find fault or make excuses (verse 17) the way some men do when held to a commitment. Ask him for wisdom, and spend time in his Word, one of the major sources of wisdom for his people. His wisdom is practical and peaceful. See James 3:17, 18, a passage for which our text sets the stage. Practice the discipline of prayer. Focus on God in your prayer, praising and glorifying him, as well as thanking him for prayers he has answered. Pray in your own relationship with God, in your closet. Pray together as a family. Pray as God’s people.
“God is Himself good. It is not necessary for us to pray or wrestle in prayer in order to make God kind or generous. ‘God … giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not” (James 1:5). He is not only good; He is also omniscient, knowing at all times what is best for us. It is not necessary for us to try to teach Him what is best for us by argumentation, persuasion, or much talking.”
Hallesby. Prayer, p. 104, Kindle Edition
As you do so, ask God in the way he wants you to ask. Ask in faith. James’ encouragement to ask in faith parallels Jesus’ words to his disciples, Matthew 21:21, 22. Note the importance of faith in Jesus’ healings, the times he would say, “Your faith has healed you.” Faith involves an earnest seeking of God, Hebrews 11:6. It lies at the heart of all that you do as a Christian. Faith is resting on God and on his certain promises in Christ Jesus. Faith involves trusting God to do what he says he will do. Faith recognizes your own helplessness and cries out to God.
“Your helplessness is your best prayer. It calls from your heart to the heart of God with greater effect than all your uttered pleas. He hears it from the very moment that you are seized with helplessness, and He becomes comes actively engaged at once in hearing and answering the prayer of your helplessness.” “As a true mother dedicates her life to the care of her children, so the eternal God in His infinite mercy has dedicated Himself eternally to the care of His frail and erring children.”
Ole Hallesby. Prayer, pages 19, 20, Kindle Edition
Don’t doubt! The doubter here is portrayed as a man who is super-careful about his choices, weighing each to the last degree. (Note the similarity to the fable of the donkey who starved between two haystacks.) The doubter is like a wind-tossed wave, moving uncertainly, seemingly arbitrarily. The doubter does not receive. He is like the boy who prefaces his request with, “I know that you’ll say, ‘No,’ but may I….” Prayer is at the heart of thankfulness. Real prayer flows out of genuine trust. That kind of doubt is double-mindedness and is sinful, James 4:8.
Be assured that God hears and answers. How can you be confident that God will hear and answer your prayers? He doesn’t mention the name of Jesus frequently, perhaps because he is the half-brother of Jesus. But as you read the book carefully, you see that he keeps pointing you to Jesus, not because of the biological relationship, but because of the work of the Lord. In James 1:5 he reminds you of God’s generosity. Down in verses 17 and 18 he not only points you to the character of God (he is the Father of lights who does not change), but especially to what he has already given you — birth through the word of truth so that you can be the firstfruits of his creation. What we lost in Adam’s fall into sin, is restored as we come to God in Jesus Christ. We are made new. The power of sin in broken. You have new life. You ask God, and he gives you the wisdom you need to walk in his ways.
“If” doesn’t imply doubt as to whether or not you need wisdom. James wants you to acknowledge your need and to ask. God is faithful.