“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind”

with no doubting,

The idea behind the Greek word for “doubting” is to separate throughout or wholly. When people doubt God, they discriminate against Him and are divided in their own minds. They separate themselves from God. They prefer their own beliefs to God’s Word.

To doubt is to be in a critical state of mind.  This person disputes what he sees and thus hesitates to embrace the facts.  His separation of what he believes is likely from what he believes is not viable.  If he deems it impossible from a human standpoint, he does not believe that God will answer that prayer.  His idea of prayer revolves around the human possibility, not whether God will supernaturally intervene on his behalf. 

for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind

A doubting person is like a wave that dashes and surges against the rocks on the shore. Doubters are vacillators. They sometimes believe and sometimes do not. Believing prayer steadily rests its confidence in God. An undecided, in-two-minds believer does not exercise prevailing prayer. Such people are at odds with themselves. As a wave of the sea can be very active but not accomplish much, so the Christian can be very active in prayer but not accomplish much. Purposeless prayer of unbelief is inane and frivolous. It assaults God’s character.

Reuben was unstable as water (Genesis 49:4) because he had no center point. Circumstances tossed him one way and then another. When things go well for some Christians, they ride the crest of the wave. When things go bad, they go under. They need the keel of faith in God. That will give them stability. A boat with its keel broken in tempestuous weather is in for a rough ride. Christians without daily operating faith are in for a rough ride because they have no captain they can trust at the ship’s helm of their experience.

“…that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Ephesians 4:14).

Principle:

Doubt begets instability, but faith brings about the stability of the soul.

Application:

The Christian who prays without believing God will answer is like a wave tossed back and forth. It does not proceed anywhere. Prayer without faith does not proceed anywhere. The prayer of faith has the single purpose of committing everything to God during the trial.

It is absurd to ask for something from the Lord that you do not expect to receive. This dishonors the credibility of God’s commitment to fulfilling His promises.

Prayer that does not trust God’s willingness or ability to answer is an affront to God’s character. Doubt is the opposite of faith and assails God’s character. God wants us to believe in His trustworthiness. He will never fail us because He is always faithful to us.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11: 6).