“Ask in Faith”
James 1:5–7
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.
Elder David A. Bednar said:
“Notice the requirement to ask in faith, which I understand to mean the necessity to not only express but to do, the dual obligation to both plead and to perform, the requirement to communicate and to act.
“. . . Note the questions that guided Joseph’s thinking and supplicating. . . .
“‘My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join’ (Joseph Smith—History 1:10, 18).
“Joseph’s questions focused not just on what he needed to know but also on what was to be done! His prayer was not simply, ‘Which church is right?’ His question was, ‘Which church should I join?’ Joseph went to the grove to ask in faith, and he was determined to act.
“True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to righteous action. . . .
“. . . We press forward and persevere in the consecrated work of prayer, after we say ‘amen,’ by acting upon the things we have expressed to Heavenly Father.
“Asking in faith requires honesty, effort, commitment, and persistence.”
(“Ask in Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 94–95.)
