6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
It is not enough to believe that God exists. I am sure you hear that all the time. People who are living like the devil say that they believe there is a god. They might use terms like “the man upstairs,” or “the big guy,” or they simply point and look up. Or they say that there must be something out there. But demons believe God exists, and it does them no good. To simply believe that God exists does us no good. It is only when that belief affects the way we live that the belief in God makes a difference. Our belief must be coupled with earnestly seeking Him. James writes that faith and deeds must work hand in hand; both must be present. And notice the writer says “earnestly” seek him. Half-hearted, on my own terms and timetable just won’t do. I have a friend who just completed another triathlon. (Way to go Tony!) There is nothing casual about his pursuit of his goal. His life gets into a rhythm that demonstrates his dedication to this physical challenge. Every day he is actively moving and training toward the goal. If he didn’t actively, earnestly seek success, he would surely fail. Others around him know he is earnestly seeking that goal. His life shouts dedication. He is also earnestly seeking to be a great husband and dad, and he is a friend and fellow believer in Jesus. Our seeking of Christ’s will and way in our lives must be earnest. Our energies and focus must be on this pursuit. No weekend warriors will succeed.
The Arnold Journey 