** 1. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;**
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 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.
6 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.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
I'm at the mid-century mark and still have trouble finding joy in tribulation. I'm certainly more stoic than I was a youth.
I don't offer this a doctrine but my experience has taught me that personalities are distinct, and faith works in us in different ways. We each have own particular set of strengths and flaws - Paul would talk to Timothy like a soldier for instance, suggesting Timothy at least a young man was timid or fearful.
"In any of you lack wisdom..." this seems to be a warning to count the cost - we can not love the worldly spirit and love God.
The double-minded man seems continually pulled in two different directions. It is likely that all of us are "double-minded" within some aspect our component of our lives or beliefs. Given that modern society seems to be designed to subject use to endless distraction and confusion it would be surprising if we are not inconsistent in many things.
A short read today - I don't read James as often as I should and this passage leapt out at me today.
@jongolson thank you for sharing out the Kingdom.
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James is one of my favorite books in the bible. The proverbs of the NT :)
Great insight sir, and commentary!