James 1:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Say with him, David: “How long, O Lord, will You forget me forever? How long will You turn Your face away from me?” (Ps 12:2).

Say it not with the tongue, but first with the heart. Offer also the other supplications of David.

When you have expressed everything, hope in the mercy of God. Hope, and do not doubt.

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting,” says the Apostle, “for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. Let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord. A man of double mind is unstable in all his ways” (Jas 1:6-8).

Therefore hope in His mercy, not doubting at all, and you will surely receive what you ask. Having received it, do not be ungrateful or thankless toward your Benefactor.

Rather, set up a memorial of His benefaction and raise a hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord.

If he believes, let him ask. If he does not believe, let him not ask, for he will receive nothing of what he asks. The doubter is also the one who asks with arrogance. Clearly, whoever asks while doubting is an offender. For if you are not certain that God will fulfill your request, do not approach with a petition at all. Otherwise, through foolish double-mindedness, you will be found an accuser of the One who can do all things. Therefore one must entreat deliverance from such a shameful sickness.

For the doubter is audacious. If you have not believed that God will fulfill your prayer, then you cannot avoid being counted an accuser of the Almighty, having unwillingly become double-minded. Therefore this most shameful illness must be overcome.

Then the shepherd said to me: “Cast away doubts from yourself, and do not waver at all in asking anything of the Lord, saying to yourself, ‘How can I ask of the Lord and receive, since I have sinned so much before Him?’

Do not think this, but turn to the Lord with all your heart and ask without doubt. Then you will know His great goodness, for He will not despise you, but will fulfill the request of your soul.

God is not like men, who remember offenses. He does not remember evil, and He is merciful to His creation.

Therefore cleanse your heart of all the vanities of this present age. Above all, fulfill the commandments given to you by God, and you will receive all the good things you ask.

James shows that faith occupies the place of wisdom in man. He directs this against Simon Magus, who asked the apostles to give him the Holy Spirit, but did not ask for faith. Simon of Gitta, surnamed Magus, was one of the originators of Gnosticism. He wanted to buy grace with money, as is narrated in Acts 8:18-23.

If he believes, let him ask. If he does not believe, let him not ask, for he will not receive, since he asks without faith. “Like a wave of the sea.” The doubter is indecisive in his requests, does not persist for long, and soon withdraws. He is moved by pride. He quickly despairs if his request is not immediately fulfilled, because he thinks much of himself and does not consider himself unworthy to receive what he desires. The humble man is the opposite of the proud man.

That is, by leading a good life, let him show himself unshaken in faith, so that he may be counted worthy to be heard during prayer.

For one who knows that he has not obeyed the Lord’s commandments rightly has no hope that the Lord will heed his prayers.

For it is written: “He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer will be an abomination” (Prov 28:9).

For the wavering man is like a wave of the sea, which the wind lifts and hurls in every direction. One whom conscience accuses of sin is not secure for heavenly rewards.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting.” If the one asking for wisdom believes without doubting that God can give according to his request, then let him ask God.

But if he does not believe, and reasons within himself, that is, if he doubts, let him ask nothing at all, for he will not receive what he asks.

The one who reasons within himself and doubts is he who asks from God with contempt and pride. Such a man is undoubtedly one who reviles and reproaches God, because of the unbelief shown toward Him.

If you, O Christian, do not believe that God can fulfill your request, ask nothing at all. Otherwise you may be found reproaching the all-powerful God as powerless, because of your double-mindedness and little faith.

“Let him ask in faith, without any doubt.” The necessary condition for receiving what is asked in prayer is faith, and specifically faith free from any doubt about receiving what is asked.

The Lord Himself said this expressly more than once (Mt 17:20; Mt 21:21 and parallels; cf. notes). According to His word, nothing is impossible for such faith (Mk 9:23).

“If he believes, let him ask. If he does not believe, let him not ask, for he will receive nothing of what he asks. The doubter is also he who asks with arrogance” (Theophylact).

By a comparison the Apostle next explains why undoubting faith is needed in prayer. The one who doubts when praying to God is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

By these words the Apostle teaches that the virtue of perfect Christian patience is so lofty that weak human powers cannot attain it without special spiritual wisdom given by the Lord God. Therefore he commands us to turn to the Lord in prayer, that He may not deprive us of this wisdom. Yet according to the Apostle, prayer itself must be without wavering thoughts or doubt. It must be mingled with firm faith and hope in God's help, for "a double-minded man," as the Apostle says, "is unstable in all his ways."

Petitions to God must proceed from a heart assured of the fulfillment of its request, as the Lord Himself also commanded (see Mt 7:7-8).

Doubt generally hinders the attainment of the desired goal. It is especially out of place in prayer, because a soul filled with doubts becomes like a wave of the sea, now lifted by the wind, now lowered.

“The wave of the sea,” says blessed Theophylact, “is lifted by a breath of wind and falls sooner than it rises. The doubter experiences the same when, through arrogance, he does not establish his petitions on anything unchanging.”

In order to clarify the essence of the Christian moral law, the Apostle James in the first chapter of his Epistle exhorts us to endure patiently the trials sent by God.

Trials temper our faith and perfect us morally. If in the struggle with temptations a man feels his weakness, he must not despond or become fainthearted.

He must ask God for wisdom to overcome temptations, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, without any doubt, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

Let such a man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord. A man of double mind is unstable in all his ways (vv. 5-7).

One filled with truly Christian wisdom joyfully endures all trials and reversals of fortune, whether he is rich or poor.

Our petitions, raised to God, must have the following qualities. They must be offered with firm hope in God, without any doubt in His goodness, almighty power, and wisdom. They must also be constant and fervent.

For this, one must have undoubting assurance that God, in His goodness, will give us either the very good we ask, or another good that is better and more needful for us.

The word of God often instills this hope and constancy in prayer. “If any of you lacks wisdom,” says the Apostle James, “let him ask of God, who gives to all sincerely and without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting” (Jas 1:5).

The parable of the unjust judge also belongs here. In it the Savior teaches that one “ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1-8).

What is needed for prayer for wisdom, and in general for every good, to be pleasing to God? Faith is needed. Let him ask with faith in the power, goodness, and wisdom of God.

The Almighty, if He wills, can give all things. The All-good One wills to grant everything we ask, provided it is not contrary to His wisdom, which measures His gifts according to the true good of those who ask.

The faith of the one who asks must be free from every doubt: “nothing doubting.” The soul of a man filled with firm faith is like pure and bright seawater.

It is close to God and receives from Him the light of grace, which illumines and warms. This light is reflected in it as sunlight is reflected in pure and bright water.