My thoughts on James 1:5

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

I was always skeptical of the concept of asking God for things and just automatically receiving them from Him. This skepticism may be because of all of the things I have asked from God that I have not received or it may be because I don't believe God can give me whatever I am asking for. I guess the only way I understand it is that God doesn’t grant our wishes or desires that are apart from His will, but He does always give us things that are inside of His will. Now I do not know what God has for my life. The Bible doesn’t map out every single day of my life and tell me what I am going to do, but it does tell me the things I need for today. God has a personal will of God for my life which is very intimate and in Psalm 139 it says that He planned every day of my life out before one of them came to be, but God also has a general will for all people and we find that in the Bible. It is a way of life. Wisdom is a part of this general will. Peace, love, trust, unity, and joy are also examples of what God’s general will wants for each of our lives. What I am trying to say is that because we already know that God desires for each one of us to obtain wisdom WE CAN ASK FREELY KNOWING THAT HE WILL GIVE FREELY. This verse literally says that He will give generously. He will give much and without reproach which means that He does not look down on us for asking for the things we need. 

Application: When someone asks me to do something today I am going to give of myself freely and generously as God gives and not give them “no” as an answer. I strive to give of myself a good attitude and without reproach.