Prayer And Faith And Doubt

Postulet autem in fide nihil haesitans. Id est, talem se exhibeat bene vivendo, ut dignus sit exaudiri dum postulat. Qui enim meminit se Domini non obtemperasse praeceptis, merito desperat Dominum suis intendere precibus. Scriptum est enim: Qui obturat aurem suam ne audiat legem, oratio ejus erit exsecrabilis. Qui enim haesitat, similis est fluctui maris qui a vento movetur et circumfertur. Qui mordente se conscientia peccati haesitat de perceptione praemiorum coelestium, facile ad impulsum tentationum statum fidei deserit, qua in tranquillitate Deo servire videbatur, et ad libitum hostis invisibilis, quasi ad flatum venti, per diversos vitiorum raptatur errores. Sanctus Beda, Super Divi Jacobi Epistolam, Caput I Source: Migne PL 93.12a

Let him ask in faith without doubt... 1 That is, let him show himself worthy by living well, so that he may be worthy of being heard when he makes his request. For he who is mindful that he has not obeyed the commandments of the Lord rightly despairs that the Lord listens to his prayers. It has been written, 'He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination.' 2 He who doubts is like a wave of the sea which is moved by the wind here and there. He whose conscience is troubled by sin doubts the reception of the heavenly rewards, and the blow of temptation easily makes him lose his faith, which when he was at peace he seemed to guard for God, and at the whim of the invisible enemy, like a gust of wind, he is carried off by the errors of various vices. Saint Bede, Commentary on the Letter of Saint James, Chapter 1 1 James 1.6 2 Prov 28.9