James 1:5-6 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.

Certain situations in life bring with them the need for proper protocol. For example, if you happened to run into the mayor of your city or the governor of your state, you would follow the proper protocol for greeting them. You would use their elected position and title in your greeting. “Good morning Governor Haslam. It is very nice to meet you.” There is proper protocol for how you enter or exit the presence of the Queen of England. It is considered breaking protocol and extremely rude to refuse to stand in the presence of Her Majesty.

So it should come as no surprise that the Word of God makes it clear that there is a protocol for entering the presence of God. We see in Hebrews chapter 11, that lack of faith brings with it an impossibility. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God wants us to be fully devoted to Him, and He becomes upset when our hearts are filled with doubt or unbelief, or when we become critical.

James tells us that when we ask God for wisdom, proper protocol requires us to ask for wisdom “in faith” (1:6). God is pleased when we approach Him with the measure of faith we have. He does not require our neighbor’s measure of faith; the faith you possess is good enough. Nonetheless, protocol does require faith in God and His ability.

So leave doubt at the door, and follow the right protocol. Approach God with your heart of faith, and He will be happy to provide all the wisdom you need. Let’s face the truth; we all need more wisdom for this life.