Is it Better not to Pray if you don't Have perfect Faith?

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Did any Saint or Church Father ever explain what this passage of scripture means?

But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind. **Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord/B]. (James 1:5-7.)

It’s that last part I underlined that really bothers me sometimes.

Is it better not to pray at all when you’re having doubts?**
 
Oh, I so hope not. I am not sure what constitutes perfect faith but I often pray for stronger faith and discernment of His will. I don’t think anyone would say that they have perfect faith, do you? Remember, being a human, in itself, negates perfection. 👼
 
Just my own experience-
Praying is how I got my faith to begin growing. Once I felt the pull, I started praying “I believe, help my unbelief.”
 
BlossomingFaith said:
Just my own experience-
Praying is how I got my faith to begin growing. Once I felt the pull, I started praying “I believe, help my unbelief.”
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Prayer has a way of “sucking you in”, so to speak! The more you pray, the better you feel, and the more you pray!
 
We just talked about this. “Wavering” means like somebody who’s looking for excuses not to believe, or who’s just pretending so he can look good to other people.

If you’re trying to believe, on the other hand, God can see that in your heart. He wants to work with that.
 
I don’t think anyone this side of Heaven has perfect faith. But - we need to keep praying anyway, as praying increases one’s faith.
 
The original Douay Rheims Bible of 1609 says
**6. Ask in faith, nothing wavering. **The Protestants would prove by this, that no man ought to pray without assurance that he shall obtain that which he asks. Where the apostle means nothing else, but that the asker of lawful things must not either mistrust God’s power and ability, or be in doubt and despair of his mercy: but that our doubt be only in our unworthiness or undue asking.
 
Huh? If that’s the case, I’m hosed.

I pray the hardest when my Faith feels weakened, and that seems like a lot of the time.
 
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” - Matthew 17:20

You don’t need much
 
michaelgb said:
Did any Saint or Church Father ever explain what this passage of scripture means?

But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind. Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord/B]. (James 1:5-7.)

It’s that last part I underlined that really bothers me sometimes.

Is it better not to pray at all when you’re having doubts?

I think there is, perhaps, a little hyperbole in James’ words there to make a point. Go to God because you trust Him. Don’t go because you think you can use God like a slot machine that pays out if you pray the right way. As for words of the saints on the subject, I think this one may encourage you as it has me:*Blessed Angela of Foligno says that the prayer most acceptable to God is that which we force and constrain ourselves to say. Such is the prayer we turn to not for the pleasure found in it or because of our own inclination but purely to please God." (St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life)*In other words, God is very pleased when we pray even when we don’t feel like it, which would include when we feel weakest and feel our prayers are weak. God can germinate even a small seed, though, so don’t worry.
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=michaelgb;13007910]Did any Saint or Church Father ever explain what this passage of scripture means?
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But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind. Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord/B]. (James 1:5-7.)
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It’s that last part I underlined that really bothers me sometimes.
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Is it better not to pray at all when you’re having doubts?
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No, Do PRAY MUCH for Faith:thumbsup:
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Praying causes an INCREASE of faith, I know this from personal experience. If you don’t pray, how will your faith grow without asking God for assistance???
 
bdrunner said:
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” - Matthew 17:20

You don’t need much
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How big is a seed? Is it just the visible seed, or does it include the plant that may grow from it if planted and nurtured?

So too, our faith needs to be planted in the soil of God’s presence and nurtured and watered with prayer and grace.
 
How is faith to develop without prayer?
Prayer is the “lifting our hearts and minds to God.” Can you build any relationship without communication or time spent together? If prayer is communication, and you do not talk to God, how will you find faith without prayer?
The passage quoted talks about the prayer of petition. Remember that prayer is not always about petitioning God. We pray to God in worship and adoration, in contrition and repentance of our sins. We pray because we want a closer relationship with our Creator. Our Lord said, the Father would not refuse the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to any who ask. The closer our relationship to the Son, the more powerful our prayer. We do not know how to pray as we ought, and the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf.
Rather than turning away from prayer because you think that your faith might be weak, spend more time in prayer in order build to your relationship with God, and with it your faith.
 
What he is saying is that we must pray with confidence that we will be heard. To not do so, is, in a sense to profane prayer.

Benedicat Deus,
Latinitas
 
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