Make Up Your Mind

By Pamela Rose Williams

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Do you know anyone like that? Someone who says one thing and does another. Oh! Maybe it is you that does that. Come on, we have all had those times when we just can’t make up our mind as to what we are going to do. Or maybe we try it several different ways, just in case. And then we crash and burn.

This verse in James 1 is preceded by a verse that we often miss: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

So, why is it so difficult for us to make up our mind? The Bible clearly says that if we lack wisdom we should ask for God’s help. And it even goes on to remind us that God “upbraideth not”. That is an Old English way of saying God will not scold or criticize us when we ask of Him.

I would venture to say that we don’t ask for help because in our human pride, we think we already have all the answers – all the wisdom. So, we try to work it out our own way. In fact, back in Old Testament times when every man did what he thought was right in his own eyes things just went downhill from there (Read also, Judges chapter 21). It was not that they chose to do wrong, they simply chose to do what “they” thought was right. They did not follow the Lord. They did not ask for wisdom. In fact, didn’t this all start way back in the Garden when Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree – they wanted to decide for themselves what was good and what was evil.

God gave us a brain and even reasoning ability so that we could make decisions. But more importantly, He gave us His very Word so that we could make up our mind to do what pleases Him.

When we are faced with an important decision and we cannot decide what to do we need to ask the Lord for His wisdom. He gives it freely and without strings. When we know God’s Word we will not be “tossed to and fro” in the storms of life. We will be able to make up our mind, God’s way. Trust Him!