Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Self-control”
Our Bible verse for today: “An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Make a decision and move forward.”
As was noted yesterday, the spiritual discipline of self-control is a two-sided coin. On the one side is restraint, but on the other side is action. We have to control ourselves from doing things we shouldn’t, but we must also move ourselves to do the things we should. We are currently spending a few days considering the action side of the coin.
Have you heard of the common malady known as “paralysis of analysis”? This is the syndrome where a person spends so much time analyzing a situation that they never actually do anything about it. They become so consumed with looking at it from every angle, and considering every possible outcome, and they are so afraid of making a mistake, that they become paralyzed in a state of indecision and inaction. It is the “paralysis of analysis”.
But worse still is when such a person finally does come to a decision, and does actually begin to do something, but then they second guess themselves endlessly and keep changing their mind and their actions, before their original decision had time to bear fruit. The Apostle James labels such a person as being “indecisive” and “unstable”. Clearly this is not what God wants for us.
I encourage you to open your Bible and read the entire passage in James 1:1-8. There you will find that James tells us if we are unsure of what to do, if we lack wisdom with respect to a particular situation, we should pray about it and ask God to help us make the decision. Then trust that God will in fact provide the insight and guidance we need in order to conform to His will. Don’t keep doubting and second guessing. Pray about it, make a decision, and move on.
Proverbs 3:5-6 assures us that this is what God wants us to do. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (NIV)
In the book “The Traveler’s Gift” David Ponder’s fourth encounter with a historical figure is with the great explorer and adventurer Christopher Columbus. Columbus was a man of vision and courage. He had a vision, he set his heart on achieving it, and then he pursued it with dogged determination. The lesson he had to share with David, which became the fourth of the seven decisions which can change the course of a person’s life, is “Have a determined heart”. Ask God for a vision, set it in your heart, and then go after it.
On the action side of self-control we must learn to make decisions and then act on them without doubting and second guessing. Don’t be the double-minded, doubting, indecisive, unstable person James described. Make a decision and move forward.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 