By Steve Backlund

My dog, Buddy, often struggles with whether he wants to be in the house or out of the house. He frequently will be outside our kitchen door barking to come into the house. When we open the door for him, Buddy will stay outside uncertain if he really wants to come in. I am thinking, “Buddy, will you just decide?!”

As I work on my new book, Fully Convinced - The Art of Decision Making, I am struck by Elijah’s question for the Israelites. It is similar to what I want to ask Buddy. 

“How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21 KJV)

I am fascinated with how “How long halt ye between two opinions” is translated in other versions:

• “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?” (AMP)
• “How long will you waver between two opinions?” (CSB)
• “How much longer will you try to have things both ways?” (CEV)
• “How long will you keep jumping from one side to the other?” (ERV)
• “How long will you be stuck between two points of view?” (NCB)
• “How long will you not decide between two choices?” (NCV)

Elijah the Prophet is challenging the people to decide, to become fully convinced one way or another concerning who they are to follow (Baal or God). He asked them, “How long are you going to be indecisive and waver between two options you have? Make a decision!”

Certainly, the most important decision we will ever make is whether or not we believe in and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but Elijah’s question has spoken to me in many other areas where I have been indecisive, doubting, and/or wavering between options. Some of these areas are: 

• Financial decisions - I waver whether I should spend (or have spent) a certain amount of money.
• Identity - I waver between believing who God says I am or believing who my feelings and past experience say I am. 
• Commitments, relationships, and responsibilities- I have struggled at different times of my life doubting whether I should be in the job I am in, invest in certain relationships, or have committed to doing certain things. 
• God’s feelings toward me - I have wavered between God loving or not loving me. 

“Steve, how long are you going to live in doubt and double-mindedness about these things? Will you just decide!” 

“Lord, I am trying, but it does not seem easy to do.”

Our indecisiveness often comes from fear of making the wrong choice or fear of change. When we experience this, it becomes easier to avoid making the decision. What we need to understand is that not deciding is a decision. We are choosing not to choose. It’s one of the methods our subconscious uses to maintain our status quo. Just like Buddy, our doubt neutralizes forward movement.

Doubt is a crippler of our confidence and effectiveness. It is the opposite of being fully convinced. We all battle with some level of doubt. James 1:6-8 talks about it. “But let him ask (for wisdom) in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind . . . for he is a double-minded man unstable in all his ways.”

So how can we overcome the “Buddy syndrome” and confidently decide what we are going to do and believe? Here are some ideas that will help: 

1. Become convinced - It is crucial to overcome doubt and double-mindedness. 
2. Believe and declare we can do it -God never asks us to do anything He has not empowered us to be able to do. 
3. Thank God regularly - We are receiving a constant flow of wisdom and revelation (and we will always know what to do).
4. Get a good process of decision-making - decide (attach faith) to what you are going to do and believe. My blog,  “Six Traits of Dynamic Decision Makers” will help you do this. 

Here is one more truth to meditate on: A bad decision made in faith has a greater likelihood of success than a good decision made in doubt. Obviously, we don’t sin in faith, but this principle is crucial for us to understand. 

“Buddy, will you just decide!”

“Steve, will you stop wavering between two choices and move toward truly deciding.”

Be on the lookout for my Fully Convinced book and course later on this year. I believe it will be life-changing.