“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:6-8)

Scripture makes it clear: we ought to deal with our doubts. Although our doubts are often a necessary stop along the path to spiritual maturity, we ought to make them a short visit rather than a permanent resting place.

John the Baptist had doubts at the end of his life, and he sought answers from Jesus. It’s a great picture of how to deal with our doubt.

We don’t want to be double-minded and unstable. But, what does that faith actually look like? Is it possible to have “too much” faith? That is to say, the kind of faith that spills over to presumption?

There is another danger of “too much” faith: what happens when we don’t receive what we are expecting? When this happens, has God failed us? Have you ever been disappointed with God? What caused that, if it wasn’t presumption?

True faith leads to stability and single-mindedness; there is also room for flexibility. James also says,

Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:15)

Faith wants what God wants.
Presumption wants what we want.

Stable and single-minded faith trusts God to give us what he wants to give us, which is not necessarily what we want.