Latest / Jo Watson: Unfiltered Faith / Double Minded
Transcript
- Jo Watson: Welcome back to Unfiltered Faith. I'm Joe Watson, and it's time to breathe. Time to slow down. Time to let your shoulders drop and time to step into the sanctuary. Not the sanctuary that we're all so familiar with, but the one that God is building inside you. This is the space where we breathe, where we gather, where we remember that God meets us right in the middle of our history. Humanity, not after we've perfected it. Today we're stepping into a tender, honest conversation that so many people carry quietly. A listener wrote in with a struggle that is more common and more spiritual than we often realize. And I believe today's episode is going to bring clarity, compassion, and a fresh wind of courage to someone. So let's step into the sanctuary together. Our letter today is from someone who signed it. Don't want to be double-minded. This is what our listener wrote. Dear Dr. Watson, I need some help. I struggle with making decisions and sticking with the decision after I've made it. I settle on something in my mind or tell someone I'll do something. And then at the last minute, I start to have a panic attack, thinking that I've made the wrong decision. And then I backtrack on what I said I would do. I do this in my relationships, I do it on my job, I do it on just about anything I have to make a decision about. I have made purchases and then immediately taken them back just because I'm not sure. I've taken job positions and immediately changed my mind just because I'm not sure. And recently I attended a new church and before the service started I left just because I changed my mind about going to that church on Sunday. My friends in my family often joke about it or call me wishy washy, but it's embarrassing and And not really funny, because it is affecting everything in my life. I know we're not supposed to be double minded and I'm not sure why I do it, but I'd like to know what your thoughts are about it. Signed, don't want to be double minded. To my dear listener who signed your message, don't want to be double minded. First, thank you. Thank you for trusting me with something that feels embarrassing, frustrating, and deeply personal. You described a pattern of making decisions and then panicking, saying yes and then immediately wanting to run, choosing something and then feeling crushed by the fear that you chose wrong. First, let me say you're not flaky. You're not wishy washy, you're not broken. You are overwhelmed. And your nervous system has learned to associate decision making with danger. This isn't double mindedness in the moral sense. This is fight or flight wearing spiritual clothing. Let me say that again for you. Your indecision is not rebellion, it's a response to fear. Scripture says in James one eight, a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. But James is talking about wavering faith, not the panic response you're describing. Your heart is not divided, your fear is loud. Your spirit wants to move forward, your anxiety wants to protect you, and your body hasn't learned yet that you are safe. You're not indecisive, you're unregulated, and that can be healed. Family, let's pause here, because many of you listening have lived this same cycle. You commit, then you panic, you choose, then Then you question, you step forward, then you sprint backward, and you think it's a character flaw, but often it's a trauma imprint, a fear reflex, or a lack of internal permission to trust yourself. The enemy loves to whisper you can't trust your own mind, but God says I have not given you the spirit of fear that But of power, love, and a sound mind, 2 Timothy 1 7. A sound mind doesn't mean a mind without questions. It means a mind anchored in God's peace. And peace is a skill, not a personality trait. You can learn peace, you can practice peace, and you can grow into peace. Here's what I want you and everyone listening who struggles with anxiety around decision making to begin practicing. First, slow your decisions down. Not everything requires a yes in the moment. Give yourself permission to say, I'll get back to you. Rushing is one of the fastest ways to trigger fear. Your spirit needs space to breathe. Before it chooses. Slowing down is not hesitation, it is holy pacing. It is giving your mind time to settle, it's giving your emotions time to soften, and it is giving your spirit time to listen. When you slow down, you create room for God to speak before anxiety does. Secondly, Notice the panic, but don't obey it. Panic is a messenger, not a master. It may shout, but it does not speak truth, and you are not obligated to follow its voice. Psalms 46:10 says, Be still and know that I am God. Thirdly, anchor your decisions in prayer, not pressure. Pressure rushes you, but prayer roots you. It shifts your decision from anxiety to alignment. When you pause long enough to invite God into the moment, clarity rises where confusion once lived. Proverbs three six says, In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path. Fourth. Build trust with yourself in small ways. Every tiny commitment you honor with yourself becomes a brick and the foundation of your confidence, teaching your mind that you are safe to follow. Luke sixteen ten says, Whoever is faithful with little will also be faithful with much. Then ask God for wisdom and expect Him to give it. James 1 5 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God and it will be given. You are not making decisions alone. And family, once you've asked God for wisdom and positioned your heart to receive it, there's a moment where you simply breathe and let him meet you. Wisdom isn't just information, it's importation. It settles you, it steadies you. It reminds you that you are not navigating life alone. Proverbs 2:6 says, The Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. So let's step into that space now. The space where wisdom becomes peace. And peace becomes prayer. Let us pray. Father, I lift up this precious listener and every heart that feels torn between desire and fear. Breathe peace into their nervous system. Silence the voice of panic. Teach them to trust the sound mind you have already given them. Let your wisdom rise like a steady river within them. And let every decision be made from a place of rest, not fear. Surround them with grace as they grow. In Jesus' name. Amen. Let me just also say, Lord, I thank you that you are stabilizing our steps, that you are quieting the storm inside us. That because of who you are, Lord, we will not live our life second guessing. Thank you that you are restoring confidence, courage, and clarity. And because of that, we will walk in decisions with peace and know that you are with us. And we praise you. Because of Thank you for joining me today. And if this episode spoke to you, breathe deeply because healing has already begun. You are not double minded. You are becoming whole. And if you are struggling with a heaviness that is too deep for you to bear, this episode is not a substitution for professional therapy or pastoral care. Please seek the help that you need. And until next time, family, unfiltered faith, God is moving. So stay ready. And to God be the glory.