"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
James 1:6-8
The Bible gives us another interesting word for doubt. It's the Greek word dipsuchos, meaning "a person with two minds or souls." More directly translated, the word double-minded can also be used to convey doubt.
Jesus also readily spoke about double mindedness in Matthew 6:24 saying, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Why is being double-minded such a dangerous thing for Christians?
Double-mindedness brings two things generally: confusion and a lack of clarity. These two things are not necessarily sinful, but a heart and mind clouded with confusion can often be one that easily falls into the wrong path or direction.
I remember once driving through a long and winding highway when travelling out of town for work. The rains that fell that day were so thick that I could barely see anything. That trip took me three times longer than it should have to complete it because I was travelling far slower than I normally would.
It's no different when Christians are faced with unclarity and confusion brought about by double-mindedness. When we our way is unclear (and that's what double-mindedness does) we either slow down in God's journey set for us or get into terrible mishaps sometimes even derailing us from the things God wants us to do.
How do we battle double mindedness? Psalm 119:105 gives us the most potent answer: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." God's authoritative and powerful word is what gives us clarity and direction. Apart from that, we will always be unsure and unclear of both our identity and destiny in Christ.
Jesus promises that He will be a clear "way, truth and life" for us (John 14:6) if simply we put our faith solely on Him and set our minds on Him alone. Colossians 3:2 tells us, "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."
