Indecisive Thoughts

“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (have faith and be confident) that you have received it, and it will be yours.” — Mark 11:23-24.

In certain situations, I often find myself saying the expression, “I wonder.” For instance, I might say: “I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow.” “I wonder what outfit I should wear to this dinner.” “I wonder what grades Danny (my son) will get.” “I wonder how many people will attend this seminar.”

Here is part of the definition of the verb ‘to wonder’: “a feeling of perplexity or doubt; to be filled with curiosity.” I have discovered that it is better for me to stay positive rather than always wondering what will happen. Instead of wondering what grades Danny will get, I can believe that he will get good ones.

Instead of wondering what outfit to wear to an event, I can make a choice. Instead of wondering about the weather or how many people will attend a meeting, I can entrust it to the Lord, believing that He will work everything out for my good, no matter what happens.

Hesitation always leads to indecision, and indecision breeds confusion. Hesitation, indecision, and confusion are obstacles that prevent receiving answers or divine provision through faith. Notice that in Mark 11:23-24, Jesus did not say, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, wonder if you will receive it.” He said, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that it has been granted to you and you will receive it!”

As Christians, as believers, we are called to believe — not to doubt!

Confusion of the Mind

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt (without indecision or 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 (hesitant, doubtful, indecisive) and unstable in all they do.” — James 1:5-8.

Hesitation, instead of being certain in one’s thoughts, leads to doubt and confusion. James 1:5-8 is an excellent passage to help us understand how to overcome hesitation, doubt, and confusion and receive from God.

The double-minded man (as the Darby version says, he is “uncertain in his thoughts”) represents the confusion of someone who keeps revisiting their decisions, never making a final choice. As soon as he believes he has made a decision, hesitation, doubt, and confusion arise, and he is uncertain once again. He is indecisive in all his endeavors.

I lived this way for a long time, not realizing that the devil had declared war on me, and that the battlefield was the stronghold of my mind. I was in complete confusion, not understanding why…

This text is an excerpt from the book   “THE MIND OR SPIRIT ?” written by Joyce Meyer.
We invite you to read the next article “ANXIETY AND MENTAL WORRIES.”