Solid Footing

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
--James 1:5-6

"At some point we have to move out in faith.  That sounds like an obnoxious statement, but I know I can get myself all wrapped up around the axle, wondering if I really heard God, if I really know what I should do and how it should be done, etc, etc, etc.

"Peter discovered this when he asked Jesus to let him walk on the water (Matthew 14:22-32).  Peter wanted guidance to know if the 'ghost' the disciples saw walking toward them over the water was really Jesus.  The test - 'Lord, if it's you...' - was whether Peter could also walk on the water.  And he did until he realized what he was doing, freaked out and started to drown.  Jesus had to reach out to him and pull him back into the boat.

"How many times have I moved out in faith in something God was calling me to do only to look at the wind and waves of the situation, panic, start to drown and have to have God drag me, dripping wet and frightened, back into the safety of the boat?  Today's verse reminds me that God will generously give me wisdom when I ask, but then my job is to take hold of that wisdom and walk with it in faith."
--Valere Hess, "Spiritual Disciplines Devotional"