I could not sleep again last night. I had a lot on my mind and spent the night tossing and turning, talking to God.

I was all over the place in my mind, and that came out in my prayers.

I’ve been trying to read James chapter one, but those first few passages stop me and get me meditating. I am unable to make it through the first chapter because what James says is very deep and worth deeper mediation. As I restart the chapter over and over I keep seeing new things. James 1 is for standers, and should be read daily!!

Anyway, I made it to verse 5….again. lol

And it hit me. Last night I was not approaching God in my prayer with faith. I was not firm in what I wanted. I was all over the place in how talked through my issues, if I was God, I would have listened and not answered one request either.

It’s not wrong to sort things out. But, if that is all you use prayer for, then it’s time to relearn what prayer is. 

I have a few people in my life who come to me to talk it through. They are confused and can’t make up their mind. I don’t mind letting them use me to be a sounding board. BUT they never come back and tell me their decision. They go off and I don’t hear from them again until the next time they need to talk through problems. 

As I was pondering this scripture this morning.

if any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God who gives to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault-finding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering, no hesitation, no doubting. For the one who wavers, hesitates, doubts is like the billowing surge out at Sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything, he asks for, from the Lord. For being as he is, a man of two minds, hesitating, dubious, he is unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything, he thinks, feels, decides. James 1:5-8 AMPC

 

I have a lot of places in my life where I live double-minded and never make a decision. I thought I was ok because I approach God with it and talk it through. But I have refused to make a decision and so I live on the fence.

God wants us to come and discuss things. He wants us to talk to Him about our doubts and fears, our struggles, and insecurities. But He doesn’t want us to live in a place where we remain in indecision, unable to decide a position and take a stand. If I am in indecision then I am not approaching God in faith with my requests, I’m approaching Him and leaving just as confused.

There are many things that we are going to struggle to make a decision over, and that is normal. But how long are you struggling with the same exact things? And have you ever made a decision to believe and stand firm in hope and trust and approached God that way? Or have you grown used to this place of no change? Always living on the fence, and wondering why God has not changed your circumstances?

We need to be mindful of some of the places we get stuck in and how we pray. Especially when we look at what James said and the outcome.

Just knowing that the reason my “prayer” has not been answered is that it never really made it to a request, a prayer, but was stuck at the sounding board. No faith was involved, just a wishy-washy approach which left me walking away no better. And I could not really give thanks properly because it’s not easy to be thankful in confusion. 

Write down all those places of indecision and make a decision. Then approach God and pray while standing firm on your choice.

Everything will change. 

Your approach.
What you ask.
How you ask.
How you give thanks. 

And your expectations! You will find hope!

Most times we lose hope because we have lost our firm ground and enter back into indecision and double-mindedness. Indecision robs us of a lot. While undecided, we can lose our way by seeking others who have a loud influence, and not in a good way. We can become discouraged and feel defeated because we feel God is distant and doesn’t care. We can’t have indecision and faith at the same time. While we can have faith God is going to help us decide, we can’t approach Him with the problem and expect help when we ourselves don’t know the kind of help we want.

If I ask God to restore my marriage, but then tell Him I don’t even know if I want my spouse back, or I am pondering what life would be like with a new spouse, then what ground am I firmly standing upon? How can I ask Him to fix my marriage, when I have no real revelation and understanding of what marriage is or what His will is toward our family?

If you suffer from indecision, then ask God to help you get to the root reasons of your struggle. Where do you need truth? What dark place of understanding needs light? Do you know His will for you and your family? If you do know what He has called you to, and yet you still struggle with obedience, that is a great place to stand in agreement with God for-to become more obedient to what He asks you. 

And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. James 5:15

Standing with you,
Sheila Hollinger