Thoughts for the Day

Faith and Wisdom

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Are you a positive or a negative person, would you say? Do you generally look at the world through rose-tinted glasses, for instance, so that a cloud on a sunny day doesn't immediately make you think your day out will be ruined? Or do you take the rain icon on the weather app on your phone as definitely going to happen, and immediately cancel your plans because you're certain it's going to rain?

When I was 15 years old we moved to a small village in Sussex and I began going to the local youth club. I was fairly mercilessly teased, by other teenagers about going to church, but one boy, Fred by name, stuck up for me and we started to go out with each other. That summer we planned a day out and we'd both been looking forward to taking a picnic and spending time at the seaside. That morning there were dark clouds overhead (and no phones or apps!) so he immediately cancelled the day out. I can remember how shocked I was, coming from a family who would picnic in the car at a beauty spot in the snow, or swim in the sea off the Dutch coast in the pouring rain and wind! As it happened the clouds never did drop their rain that day, and we would have enjoyed ourselves at the seaside.

The last two or three lines from the Letter of James, above, castigates those who ask for wisdom but who doubt God will answer them, for doubt is often linked to negativity. Those who don't doubt usually have hope which is positive. They see the clouds, but trust the sun will overcome them! In other words as Christians they live a life of hope, trusting the words of Jesus that He is there for them. The clouds of doubt do occur occasionally, but hope is usually far greater.

Lord Jesus,
when we have cause to doubt,
particularly if this is about our faith in You,
help us to be more positive
by looking at the example of Your life on earth,
and then turn to You in hope.
May we learn to face
the challenges of each day
by trusting in Your plans for us.
Amen.