Question: “How can we fight against being double minded and having doubts?” – Samantha A.
Answer: Double mindedness is spoken of in James 1:8 and it is best understood as a person who trusts and obeys God part of the time but not consistently. They are unsteady and weak because they are not fully committed to believing God’s Word. Contextually, the passage beings in James 1:2. The instruction is for the believer to endure the trials and tribulations of life with joy. He goes on to teach that trials of our faith produce patience, which, according to Romans 5:1-5, brings about experience and further strengthens our faith. James continues to teach that if any believer lacks wisdom, then they can ask of the Lord, Who is able to give liberally! This is a wonderful truth that God can give us what we need to endure difficult times. Now, a double minded person looks at these truths and does not believe them. There are some who may believe they are true but their actions do line up with their beliefs. They worry, fret, and spiral based on their circumstances. The thought process may look like this… yes, God, I believe you… BUT what about this, or that, or what if this comes to pass?
The cure for double mindedness and doubt is simple in word… yet complex in deed. You must let go of what makes worldly sense and believe that God will do what He plans to do in the timing He has set. James 1:5-6 is the key here. The verses teach that God can give you what you need… but you need to ask in faith. This isn’t some supernatural faith. It is as simple as believing on Jesus for salvation. When you believed on Jesus for salvation, you simply looked to the cross. You were given eternal life because Jesus promised that all who simply believe on Him will be saved. The same kind of faith will help you through the chaos of life! The complexity is in the fact that trials are difficult, the world is against anything godly, and persecution abounds! But… you must learn how to discipline your life by consistent application of God’s Word.
Let me ask a question, and I mean this with all the love and kindness that I can show. How can we expect God to deliver on His promises when our actions do not line up with what we believe? You need to believe God’s promises and walk in that belief. You can know these promises by reading His Word. The more you pray, study your Bible, and live out what it teaches (application), the more you will know about God and the more joy you will experience, regardless of what is happening around you or to you. Many people seem to believe that prayer is about asking God to do things and then expecting Him to do exactly what we asked. There is a partial truth here. Yes, we can ask the Lord for things, but we need to be content with what we have NOW. What do we have now? We have eternal life (1 John 5:13). We have peace with God (Romans 5:1). We have the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).
Knowing these things, we need to pray for strength to endure what is set before us. Remember Paul and his afflictions in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10? God said… “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
The answer to your question is this… believe He will do exactly what needs to be done… and then walk through the trials with joy.