The Spiritual Root of Double-Mindedness – How to Stop It and Start Living Boldly in Faith
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What does it mean to be double-minded, and what is the spiritual root of double-mindedness? Understanding this spiritual root and knowing how to stop it in its tracks can help you live without fear and stand firmly rooted in the Word!
But this begins with really facing what causes this to happen in your life and faith! What makes a person double-minded, and what does the Bible say about it? You might be surprised by what it could mean in your own life!
Read on to learn more about it and how to live boldly in your faith!
And be sure to grab you FREE ‘Pathway to Discernment’ 30 Day Devotional with Calendar and Prayer Cards at the end of this post!
Learning the Spiritual Root of Double-Mindedness: First, Define It
I was reading a verse in the Book of James about being double-minded that really hit home with me. It was this verse:
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
JAMES 4:8 NASB
The phrase “double-minded” comes from the Greek word dipsychos, and it means uncertain, doubting, or divided in interest.
Divided in interest.
Yeah, that hit me pretty hard, I’ll be honest. I had to face some truths about myself right here.
To expand on this, 1 Kings 18:21 shows Elijah challenging the Israelites:
“Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If Adonai is God, follow Him; ”
tlv
The Hebrew is:
- פְּסַחְתֶּם עַל שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים (pesachtem al shtei hase’ipim).
Here’s a breakdown:
- פְּסַחְתֶּם (pesachtem) means “waver” or “limp.”
- שְׁתֵּי (shtei) means “two.”
- הַסְּעִפִּים (hase’ipim) refers to “opinions” or “branches,” implying a divided or double-minded position.
Elijah is asking the people how long they will “limp” between two differing choices—between following God or Baal.
The word for “opinions” here also carries the imagery of branches, which further highlights the divided nature of their loyalties.
This highlights that the spiritual root of double-mindedness lies in divided loyalty, something God’s people have faced for generations.
Being Double-Minded on Social Media
Have you ever posted something on Facebook and set the permissions so only certain people can see it?
Guilty! I’ve done that many times, and sometimes it’s for good reasons. Sometimes it is just something personal that I only want to share with family or certain friends.
But that wasn’t what bothered me.
What bothered me were the posts I set permissions on because I feared judgment from different groups of people.
Maybe I hid something faith-related because I didn’t want to be labeled by those who don’t understand Jesus or my beliefs. Or I’d share a joke but hide it from Christian friends out of fear that they’d judge me for my sense of humor.
Then I realized my interests were divided—just like the verse says!
Matthew 6:24 explains this so clearly:
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.”
NASB
Fear of Being Judged by Others
Basically, the spiritual root of double-mindedness for me was fear.
I was fearing the judgment of people, so I compromised. I portrayed one “me” to one group and another “me” to the other. The funny thing is that neither version of me was bad or wrong! I was just afraid of people’s perceptions.
But then I read Jeremiah 18:3-6, where God is compared to a potter, and I realized that just as a potter reshapes clay, God can reshape our divided hearts. He can restore us when we submit to Him.
In Jeremiah 2:13, we’re warned about broken cisterns—representing things that can’t hold water. Double-mindedness is like a broken cistern that can’t hold spiritual truth because it’s cracked by fear and divided loyalty.
The Consequences of Double-Mindedness
Double-mindedness has both spiritual and practical consequences that affect our lives:
- Spiritual Consequences: James 1:6-8 tells us that a double-minded person is unstable in all their ways. This instability can hinder our prayers and spiritual growth because God calls us to a life of wholehearted devotion.
- Emotional and Practical Consequences: Living a divided life leads to inner conflict, anxiety, and confusion. You may find it harder to make decisions, and your relationships with others may suffer as well. When we try to please both God and people, we end up pleasing neither and create tension in our own hearts.
Biblical Examples of Double-Mindedness
The Bible gives us several examples of people who struggled with double-mindedness:
- Lot’s wife (Genesis 19:26): She looked back at Sodom, symbolizing a heart torn between the world she was leaving and the safety God was providing.
- King Saul (1 Samuel 13 & 15): Saul repeatedly disobeyed God’s commands because he feared the people more than he trusted God, leading to his downfall as king.
- Peter (Matthew 14:30): When Peter walked on water toward Yeshua, he doubted and began to sink. His moment of doubt shows how easily fear can lead to double-mindedness and instability.
These stories show how divided loyalty and doubt prevent us from fully experiencing the blessings and peace that come from trusting God wholeheartedly.
Getting to the Spiritual Root of Double-Mindedness Requires Trust
It really all came down to a lack of trust.
I didn’t trust my Christian friends with my full, authentic self, and I didn’t trust my non-Christian friends with my faith. So, I lived like I had two personalities, never letting anyone see the whole me.
The spiritual root of double-mindedness is fear, lack of trust, and comparison, all planted by the enemy to prevent us from living boldly in faith.
But James 4:7-10 shows us the way out:
“Therefore submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
tlv
Submission to God is the first step to overcoming double-mindedness, and it involves daily repentance and realignment with Him.
Developing Spiritual Discernment
Overcoming double-mindedness requires developing spiritual discernment so you can clearly see God’s will and avoid being torn between different desires.
Here are some ways to cultivate discernment:
- Prayer and Reflection: Seek God’s guidance before making decisions. Consistently ask Him to reveal His will in all areas of your life.
- Studying the Word: Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The more we immerse ourselves in God’s Word, the clearer our direction becomes.
- Seeking Wise Counsel: Surround yourself with godly mentors who can provide wisdom and help you discern God’s voice from the noise of the world.
If you’re seeking to develop discernment, don’t forget to download your free Pathway to Discernment 30-Day Devotional, complete with a calendar and prayer cards! You’ll find it below at the end of the post!
How to Overcome Double-Mindedness
Here are some practical steps to overcome double-mindedness and live boldly:
- Daily Repentance: Repentance is not just a one-time event; it’s a daily process of turning back to God and refocusing on His will.
- Single-Minded Focus: Develop this focus by immersing yourself in prayer and scripture, as Yeshua did when facing temptation (Matthew 4). He remained steadfast because He was grounded in the Word.
- Seek God’s Approval: As James 1:6-8 teaches, a double-minded person is unstable. Ask yourself—am I living to please people or God? Stability comes from seeking His approval above all else.
The Role of Faith in Combating Double-Mindedness
Faith is the key to overcoming double-mindedness. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith in God anchors us and keeps us from being tossed around by doubt.
In Mark 9:23-24, a father struggling with doubt asks Yeshua for healing and says, “I believe; help my unbelief!” This shows us that doubt and faith can coexist, but faith ultimately triumphs when we choose to trust God more than our fears.
Strengthening your faith through prayer, fasting, and community helps you stand firm in your convictions and avoid wavering.
How to Maintain Consistency in Faith
Staying consistent in your walk with God is essential to overcoming double-mindedness. Here are some ways to maintain that consistency:
- Daily Devotion and Quiet Time: Spend regular, uninterrupted time with God each day to deepen your relationship with Him.
- Accountability: Partner with a trusted friend or mentor to keep each other accountable in your spiritual walk.
- Regular Self-Examination: Routinely examine your heart for areas where you might be compromising. This helps keep you focused and aligned with God’s will.
The Emotional Toll of Double-Mindedness
Living with divided interests can cause anxiety, confusion, and fear. James 1:8 describes this instability:
“he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
tlv
This mental and spiritual instability can be draining and lead to what I’d call soul tension—a state where your soul is torn between two worlds.
But God offers clarity when we choose to live with single-hearted devotion. Matthew 6:24 says you cannot serve two masters. Choosing to serve God alone lifts the burden of instability and brings peace.
Live Boldly in Faith
So, how can I go to God and ask for anything if I’m divided in my interests? If I’m blown and tossed by the winds of people’s opinions, how can I expect God to trust me with what I’m praying for?
I decided to live boldly.
Boldly in my faith and yes, boldly in my humor! I decided to be the authentic me! What God thinks of me and who He made me to be is far more important than what others think.
If I don’t feel comfortable sharing a post with my Christian friends, maybe I shouldn’t be posting it!
And if I’m hesitant about posting something for non-Christian friends, I need to re-examine whether I’m trying to please God or man.
Take a young professional who’s hesitant to express their faith in the workplace for fear of judgment. Or a college student who feels pressured to conform with the most popular opinions or trends on social media. These are modern expressions of double-mindedness. Living boldly means being the same person in every environment, grounded in faith, and unafraid of others’ opinions.
My Final Thoughts on the Spiritual Root of Double-Mindedness
So as we have seen, overcoming double-mindedness starts by focusing on God’s opinion, not the opinions of others. Jeremiah 18:6 reminds us that God, like a potter, can reshape our divided hearts if we submit fully to Him.
James 1:12 offers the promise of reward for those who remain steadfast:
“Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love Him.”
tlv
If you’ve ever experienced fear of judgment or a divided heart, comment below and share how you’ve stepped out boldly in your faith!
Reflection Questions
- In what areas of your life do you feel torn between pleasing God and pleasing others? How can you take steps to focus more on God’s will?
- How does fear of judgment from others influence your decisions?
- What does it mean to trust God more than people?
- When have you felt spiritually unstable or divided in your faith? What actions can you take to become more grounded in your walk with God?
- Are there any behaviors or thoughts in your life that reflect a “double-minded” attitude? How can you submit these to God in prayer and repentance?
- What does it mean to live boldly in your faith?
- How can you practice being more authentic and wholehearted in your relationship with God?
- How does the concept of God as the potter in Jeremiah 18:3-6 resonate with your life? What areas of your heart need reshaping?
- Reflect on a time when you felt conflicted about sharing your faith. How did you handle it, and what can you learn from that experience?
- What practical steps can you take this week to develop a single-minded focus on God’s Word and His calling in your life?
Don’t forget to download your free Pathway to Discernment 30-Day Devotional, complete with a calendar and prayer cards!
NASB – “Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation“
Tree of Life (TLV) – Scripture taken from the Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version*. Copyright © 2014,2016 by the Tree of Life Bible Society. Used by permission of the Tree of Life Bible Society.
I left my faith many years ago, more like a cult. But I definitely agree with you about being the authentic YOU with whichever path one takes in life. We need to stop living in fear of what others have to say about who we are. Good for you and great article. Very inspiring.
I am sorry you left your faith because of what sounds like a bad experience you had. Just know that our faith is not religion based. Religion is a bunch of man-made rules and doctrine to follow that is more about pleasing man than God. Our faith is a relationship…it is a one to one relationship with God. I would love to chat with you more if you’d like. I am so sorry that your experience caused you to leave your faith!
This truly blessed me and made me think about who I am and where I am and realize that I myself have been double minded. I can’t live that way and expect to please God. Thank you!
More Grace, Adrian
Adrian I am so glad it encouraged you and we all fall into double-mindedness from time to time. As long as we don’t take up residence there, right? 🙂
Thank you so much for your comments!!
I’ve beem strugeling with this & didn’t know what to call it, NOW I do thank you so much! Saving this to re-read.
I’m so glad you found it helpful Paula!!
So being double minded is like not total surrender to God?
Yes that’s one way to describe it. Strong’s Concordance says “divided in interest namely, between God and the world”.
Hello,
Thanks for sharing your experience with double mindedness. I wanted to share mine just in case someone else is feeling condemned and need encouragement.
There are many reasons people split into dual personalities and that’s really what double mindedness is. Trust is always at the root of the issue but sometimes it is trust issues born out of severe, sustained trauma where people have learned to split their personality and mind as a survival mechanism.
Double mindedness means having two minds and two souls. So the person has dual personalities warring against one another. They are not whole and are in conflict with who they really are.
The Bible says that a person who is double minded when it comes to the promises and provision of God should not expect to receive anything from God. This passage cuts like a knife for people like me who find it very difficult to trust anyone because of severe past trauma. There are a lot of people who don’t understand how hard it is for some people to trust anyone, including God. I stumbled across this blog after reading several very condemning blog posts on double minded people. It seems as though the grace, love, mercy, and blood of Jesus can cover anything except doubt or fear, in most people’s mind. If you are struggling with double minded for any reason, pray. Pray to God, confess where you are and ask him to help you have more faith.
I grew up in a very dysfunctional, violent, abusive home. I learned before kindergarten (no joke) that I had to take care of myself and that I was the only person I could truly count on. I couldn’t trust my family to love, help, protect, or care for me. When I went to them with a need I was either rebuffed harshly or a promise was made yet never fulfilled. In addition in my family I was demanded to take on adult roles and responsibility very young. So, I was groomed to believe that no one would help me. I was the help. By the time I reached 16 I was super independent and self sufficient. My teachers and friend’s parents loved me because I was so “mature” and “wise.” I just wanted to be a kid but no one would let me be that. I had been well-trained either overtly or by circumstance to do it myself, no matter what ‘it’ was. And I did. I handled ‘it’ far better than most adults most of the time.
Once I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior to forgive me of all my sins and seal me to him in eternal life, I experienced relief for the first time in my life. For the first time it wasn’t all up to me. There was someone else more powerful than I who could help. The problem was is Jesus doesn’t need a co-pilot. He was asking me to surrender and let him take the helm. I didn’t know how to do that. No one had ever done that for me before. Not ever. I was always responsible for carrying at least half of the load if not all. I didn’t understand and really couldn’t receive the love of Christ unconditionally.
As is often the case childhood trauma that is pushed down doesn’t go away. It starts to ooze, bubble, and seep up into your life in ways and places you don’t expect or want like smack dab in the middle of my walk with Christ. When I brought a problem to Christ that I couldn’t handle and he didn’t take care of it in his time, I’d find a way to handle it on my own figuring that’s what he wanted me to do. The truth is I don’t feel comfortable trusting anyone. I’m ashamed to say that my emotions are still that damaged even now which is sad. God is working in me to heal me. It takes time.
I never received any counseling and no one knew how I grew up. I was groomed to keep the family secrets and I did. So, I pushed down all of the past pain, hurt, fear, and anxiety and went on with life. My childhood baggage eventually pushed back and began to ooze, bubble, and flow into my life. All of my friends, coworkers, and boyfriends thought I was one person–smart, together, capable, brave, fun, honest, fair, good. They didn’t know about the other me that showed up when I dealt with my family–angry, sad, fearful, doubting, low self esteem, low self value, unlovable, unable to love, unable to feel, scared, scared, and more scared, depressed, and riddled with anxiety. Did I say scared?
Praise him, God is healing all of me: body, mind, and soul. But it is a process. He is reconciling the two parts of me into the one child that he created out of love who was shattered and left wounded and unable to trust. He does not condemn me for failing to trust. He knows my story and how I became the way that I am. It doesn’t mean he excuses it but he is a God of mercy and grace. He gives us beauty for ashes and meets us right where we are–even if where we are is afraid, anxious, and double minded. So if you’re living a double life because you are afraid, ashamed, anxious, or just have trust issues for whatever reason: Pray. Ask God to help you. He will. He can heal your wounded parts and mend them back into one. God Bless you.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with all of us. I agree with you; fear tends to be at the heart of double mindedness. In fact, fear had been a big part of my life for a long time for various reasons but mainly because of some people in my life. In fact, I shared that story in a blog post I just published today called I Quit – How to Overcome Fear in Life!
I greatly appreciate you sharing and love your faith! You need to start a blog!! You have so much encouragement to share! Bless you!!
Wow Bea you told my story how amazing really amazing Word thank God for you and now I have better understanding with this battle my Faith is strengthen. I know can overcome this thanks Diana I feel encouraged
I am so glad you felt encouraged! That is such a blessing to me! Thank you so much and God bless you!!
Thank you so much. I cannot begin to express how similar our stories are. There really is not one word in your comment that I don’t identify with. I am determined to model single mindedness and obedience to scripture. I am so grateful to have come across this blog and especially this comment.
I am so glad that it resonated with you Rinn and I pray that the Lord will give you wisdom and direction as you seek that single-mindedness! It is definitely not easy but with Him, it is possible!!
I resonate with this so much!
Thank you for sharing your story. Beautiful
Hey so im a boy if it doesn’t matter but im having alot of doubtsss like even about God and him exsist and i know God does exsist and I struggle with alot of things even my own sexuality and i know God says hes going to heal me is that something God can help me with also and how can i stop the double mindedness and just be straight up with myself cause this is actually a big problem how do i fully surrender to God
Hi Quintez! God can definitely help you with some of the conflicting emotions you are experiencing. But sometimes we all need some help and direction, especially when we are experiencing confusion…which is what a lot of double mindedness stems from. I would recommend speaking with someone like a Christian counselor who can help you sort through what you’re feeling in a way that keeps God at the center. Sometimes our healing comes through people that God has equipped in certain areas (such as sometimes our healing has to come with a surgeon and oncologist for certain things like cancer). I think sitting down and talking about your feelings with someone who understands and who knows God is so vitally important. I am praying for you as well!
Thank you. Fear of man gets to me a lot when sharing the Gospel. I struggle a lot with double mindedness but Jesus can get me through it
Yes He can and He will! Keep doing what you are doing and don’t worry about anyone’s opinion but God’s! Bless you!
Wow, this really helps. I struggle with double minded behavior as well. I am tired of going back and forth. I am trying to be perfect when the one who died on the cross for my sins is perfect. Jesus Christ wants me to take his yoke and burden, yet I keep leaning to my own understanding. I guess sometimes we just have to surrender, and leave it with Christ instead of picking it back up. I hope Jesus will help me and I know he will help me along the way, even if it is hard. Doing what his will is pleases my soul.
I totally understand how you feel. We sometimes just get into that mindset where we are so torn that we become double minded about things. But yes, He is perfect and He will help you when you give it to Him and let Him handle it. And that is tough to do when we all live in a world that teaches us to handle it ourselves. Bless you and thank you for sharing with me!
Thanks, this has helped me decently. I wasn’t really sure of what double-mindedness was until today when I decided to look it up after reading Psalms 119. I’m a college student so I’ve got a lot of different friends, some Christian some not. I wear a small cross necklace and I’ve got the little cross emoji in my bios, but I’ve always felt hesitant to share any faith-related posts in fear of being judged by my non-Christian friends. Thanks for helping me see that it’s a little silly to feel so pressured by man like that. And in my heart I know my real friends will understand, even the ones who aren’t Christian. Also, your part with the makeup and stuff also really lifted a weight on my chest about still enjoying hobbies without thinking that it’s wrong to like anything in this world. It’s made me feel better about the books and movies/tv I enjoy. Thank you so much for the great article! I can tell it’s Jesus’ way of telling me to breathe and drop that anxiety. Pray you have a good holiday season!
Declan I am so glad it helped you feel more confident in your faith. My husband is a college Dean so I have a real heart for college students and your story really resonated with me. I am sure you living out your faith in a genuine way that is uniquely you will be a better witness to your friends than you know! Have a wonderful holiday season and please, come back and let me know how you’re doing!
IYOOO. this is so helping me atleast after so many years i found a defenation of what i am going through, i am easly getting angry, offended and all this is because i dnt stand my grounds i please even where i know the truth. i will rather keep quite, and say mmmm. not saying what i know. this caused a pain in my heart that never went, was prayed for. tryed hospitals. low self esteem, discouraged in everything. my faith is in danger an i am going out. i now started experiencing eating disorder
until last night when I tried to pray i was given Matthews 5:8
may God bless for encouraging us.
I am so glad this helped you and I am so sorry for the pain you have gone through. Bless you!!
Thanks so much, I was really blessed by this post. God bless you and more of God’s grace upon your life.
I am so glad it blessed you!! And thank you so much for blessing me by commenting!!