• Welcome to [music] the InTouch podcast with Charles Stanley for Wednesday, March 18th. God always keeps his promises, even when the answers look nothing like we imagined. Stay with us for [music] a lesson in what to do when our faith waivers. If we believe that God is who he says he is and that he will do the things that he promises to do, why is it that when you and I come to prayer, we ask and then we doubt? We waver back and forth.
• Yes, he will. Maybe he will. I’m not sure. I hope so. And often times that is more characteristic of the way we relate to him than we realize. Well, the title of this message is when our faith waiverss. And I want you to turn, if you will, to James chapter 1. Because in this passage, he deals with this very idea and brings us to the realization of how very important it is that our faith be solid, steadfast, strong, and certain.
• And in James chapter 1, he’s writing to some people who have uh been scattered and they’re suffering persecution, difficult in hardship and hard times. And so he begins by saying, “James, a bond servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes who are dispersed abroad, greetings. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.
• ” That doesn’t even make sense that when you’re in difficulty, hardship, and trial, you’re supposed to be joyous about it. Only if you understand the truth. only if you have faith to face it, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
• But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without any doubting. For the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven by the winds and tossed. But that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man and unstable in all his ways.
• So with that in mind, let’s ask the question, what does he mean when he talks about this idea of back and forth? That is, what do we mean by wavering faith? Simply what he says. faith that says, “I know he can. I think he will. Maybe he will. Yes, I believe he will.” “Well, I’m not sure.” “Well, I certainly hope so. Well, I think so.
• Well, I know he’s done in the past, but I’m not sure.” And so, how many times have you prayed and asked God for something absolutely sure what you were asking for was the will of God, and you said, “Yes, Father. I just want to thank you for that. I want to thank you for the assurance that I’m going to receive that.
• And then an hour later, you’re thinking, well, I I certainly hope God answers my prayer. You know, I’ve prayed and I’m reading the word. I I certainly hope he does. We do not realize how often we waver in our relationship to God. We waver in our prayers. We waver in our faith. One moment we are saying, “Yes, I believe he will.” The next moment we’re not quite so sure.
• Why is it back and forth and back and forth and back and forth? So now watch carefully. I want to talk about the causes. What causes us to waver in our faith? Now I want to encourage you to write it down. If you don’t write it down, you’re going to be sorry. Because I guarantee you between now and next Sunday, you’re going to find yourself asking God about something and thinking, “Well, I hope so. Well, maybe so. Well, I think so.

Write Your Prayer