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The Struggle of Making a Decision: How to Overcome Double-Mindedness

ByMarques Clark

There comes a moment in life—one that we all face—when we must decide who we are going to be.

Do you stay in the comfort of what you know, or do you step into the unknown?
Do you keep pretending everything is fine, or do you finally tell the truth?
Do you hold on to what’s safe, or do you let go and trust that something better is ahead?

These moments define us. Not just because of the choice itself, but because of what happens in the space before the choice is made—the hesitation, the overthinking, the constant back-and-forth.

You feel sure one day, then completely unsure the next. You tell yourself you’ll decide soon, but “soon” keeps getting pushed further away. You pray for an answer, but when it comes, it’s not the one you wanted.

So you linger. Torn between two directions. Trying to hold both.

This is the silent disease of double-mindedness—a divided heart, an uncertain mind, a life stuck between what is and what could be.

What It Means to Be Double-Minded

Double-mindedness is the inability to make a decision and stick to it. It’s an internal war between faith and fear, control and surrender, comfort and calling.

You want to be confident, but you let doubt creep in.
You want to move forward, but you keep looking back.
You want change, but you’re terrified of what it will cost.

So you stay in the middle—waiting for a perfect sign, for certainty, for a guarantee that doesn’t exist.

Practical Signs That You’re Double-Minded

It’s easy to think this doesn’t apply to you, but double-mindedness shows up in ways we don’t always recognize. Ask yourself:

  • Do I make a decision, then immediately start doubting it?
  • Do I say I want something, but my actions don’t align with it?
  • Do I keep waiting for a “perfect” time to start?
  • Do I constantly seek reassurance from others but still feel unsure?
  • Do I feel stuck in the same patterns, year after year?

If you said yes to any of these, double-mindedness may be keeping you from moving forward.

The Problems It Causes

Living in this state will:

  • Drain Your Energy – The mental tug-of-war leaves you exhausted before you even take action.
  • Steal Your Peace – You can’t rest when your heart is divided.
  • Stunt Your Growth – You can’t build when you keep tearing down your own progress.
  • Break Your Confidence – The more you hesitate, the less you trust yourself.
  • Weaken Your Faith – Faith requires movement. Hesitation only strengthens doubt.

Everyday Examples of Double-Mindedness

Still not sure if this is affecting you? Here’s how it plays out in daily life:

  • Relationships: You stay in a relationship that isn’t right for you, but you’re afraid of being alone. You want commitment, but you won’t fully commit yourself.
  • Career: You know you need to leave a job that drains you, but fear keeps you holding on. You want to start something new, but you keep delaying.
  • Personal Growth: You say you want to be healthier, more disciplined, or more focused, but you keep falling into old patterns because part of you isn’t fully convinced it’s worth the effort.

The Deeper Issue

At its core, double-mindedness isn’t about decision-making. It’s about trust.

  • Fear of failure makes you question if you’re choosing the right path.
  • Fear of sacrifice makes you hold on to what’s comfortable, even when it’s no longer good for you.
  • Fear of uncertainty keeps you waiting for a perfect plan before you take the first step.

But the longer you stay in limbo, the more life moves on without you.

How to Overcome It

  1. Decide Who You Will Trust – Fear, doubt, and comfort will always try to control you. You have to choose faith over fear.
  2. Commit Fully – Stop keeping an escape route open. Whatever you choose—own it completely.
  3. Silence the Noise – Overthinking won’t bring clarity. Action will. Set a time limit on decisions and stick to them.
  4. Take One Bold Step – You don’t need all the answers before you move. The path unfolds as you walk.
  5. Trust That You Won’t Miss What’s Meant for You – You are not powerful enough to ruin your destiny. But you can delay it by refusing to move.

Steps to Take Right Now

  • Pick a decision you’ve been avoiding and commit to making it within 24 hours.
  • Write down your reasons for hesitation—what are you afraid of?
  • Set a deadline for action—not for thinking, but for doing.
  • Tell someone your decision so they can hold you accountable.

At some point, you have to ask yourself: Do I want to keep standing at the crossroads, watching life pass me by? Or do I want to finally move forward and trust that I was made for more?

The answer will define everything.

Notes

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
–Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

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