Like a Wave of the Sea, Blown and Tossed by the Wind

I am thankful that our God is full of mercy and grace; however, one thing that tries His patience is doublemindedness. He enjoys people who “set their heart and mind on the things above” (Colossians 1:1-3 NIV). Hebrews 12:1&2 encourages “us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”  God is blessed by His children who set and fix their hearts and minds on Him. Doubleminded followers are another story. It frustrates Him because it disallows Him from showering his children with love and blessing and showcasing the character of His son in their lives.

Webster’s Dictionary describes doublemindedness as “undecided, vacillating, insecure and hypocritic.”  There are three passages in the Bible that discuss the impact of doublemindedness on your life:

James 1 ⁵ 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. ⁶ 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. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. This is an amazing passage. It states that if anyone lacks wisdom, God will give it to them “without finding fault.”  Here’s the catch, “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt.”  If anyone asks God full of doubt,he is “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” and “should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”  Why? Because, “Such a person is doubleminded and unstable in all they do.”  Instability and doubleminded go together. They throttle back the blessings, dynamics and purpose that God wants to give and reveal to us.

James 4:4-6, describes a person who loves the world and the things in it. James with candor states this person becomes an enemy of God full of pride. He calls himself a man of God but lives like the world grieving the Holy Spirit. His testimony is being a Christ-follower yet his character is of the world. Verse 8 commands this person to “come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  Doubleminded, you cannot be worldly and Godly simultaneously and expect the blessings of God.

Psalm 119 speaks to doublemindedness with clarity. “My heart is set on keeping your decrees (God’s word) to the very end. ¹¹³ I hate doubleminded people, but I love your law (God’s word).”  Bluntly, the Psalmist instructs us to set our heart on keeping God’s word and to hate doublemindedness.

Here’s the secret sauce.  Isaiah 26:3 states that God “keeps in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. When your mind is “stayed” on Him, “perfect peace” follows. Stop being doubleminded and become single-minded, focused on God.