Ed Welch writes:
James 1:5-7 seems to make obtaining wisdom impossible.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
To get wisdom, there cannot be one bit of doubt. It is either perfect faith or nothing.
To make these words even more challenging, James is only reminding us of what Scripture has been saying all along. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5, also 26:16). Jesus restated the theme, “No one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24), and “if you have faith and do not doubt…” (Matt 21:21).
All this does not sound too hopeful.