How to become a determined person?

Some days ago, a young man came to me and asked for my advice, asking me the question that I put as the title of this article. I found it useful to write an article based on the advice I gave him. So, how can someone become a determined person? Before we can understand how to become a determined person, we have to realize what its definition is.

Who is a determined person?

The word “determined” is used very frequently in Bible, but the word “doubleminded” (undetermined) is used only once in the next passage:

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (Epistle of James 1:5–8)(NASB)

According to this passage:

  • When a determined man makes a decision, he has sufficeint faith to see this decision fulfilled.

  • A determined man trusts in God and is not defeated by doubt, he doesn’t change the decision he made.

  • A determined man is not influenced by circumstances more than by God’s promises. The surf of the sea doesn’t have its direction and a stable point; it is driven and tossed by the wind. An unstable man is similar to it: driven by circumstances and can’t lay firmly on God’s promises.

  • A determined man is stable in all his ways. So, an undetermined man is not stable, can’t lay firmly on his decisions and can’t finish the begun work, because he changes his mind very often.

  • A determined man is pleasant to God and fruitful if he is led by the Word of God; but a doubleminded and unstable one ought not to expect anything from the Lord because he will not get and accomplish anything.

I would also add that doubleminded people are very difficult and not trustworthy. You can’t trust in them because they can change their decisions and promised words very quickly and often.

Don’t hasten when making important decisions

There is a proverb that says, “Measure twice, cut but once”. Some people are very hurried when they make decisions or when they promise something. Don’t hurry to make decisions and don’t make decisions under the pressure of the people who hasten you, especially if there are no serious reasons to hurry up. Very many people are sorry for the decisions made unthoughtfully and hasty, as the Word of God says:

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. (Proverbs of Solomon 21:5)(NASB)

Don’t make yourself important through the way you make decisions

On the other side, I saw how some people have much discussion and give much importance to the things that are less important. I mean those people that see an old woman carrying a water pot and they, being “super-spiritual ” say that they firstly “have to pray and to wait for God’s will, whether or not they have to help that old woman to carry the water pot”. Haven’t you seen such super-spiritual people? I had opportunities to meet and to hear about them. These past days, I was told how a superspiritual man began a discussion concerning physical force, etc. And he had done so only for the sake of a quarrel. Then someone asked him: “And if you walk on a street and see how someone rapes a woman, how will you act as a Christian?” The super-spiritual said: “First, I have to find out what kind of woman she is and why such thing has happened to her…” Through his answer, that man showed how mean he was and not spiritual.

Make decisions according to the Word of God

Correct decisions are those taken in accord to the wisdom of God’s Word. One who doesn’t study and know the Bible can not make wise decisions. Joshua spent very much time near Moses and heard much from the Word of God. He learned the wise way how Moses was making decisions. But after Moses’ death, Joshua was called by God to be the leader of Israel, and received this command:

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. (Joshua 1:8)(NASB)

A leader always needs to make many decisions and then will be praised or cursed for the decisions he made. If he makes good decisions, people rejoice and prosper; but if he makes wrong and unwise decisions, the whole nation will suffer, and he will have a bad name.

Be a determined person. Put all your trust in God, think well through the things, take advise from wise people, but don’t make yourself important by the way you make decisions. Serve people and be ready for courageous deeds.

Translated by Djugostran Felicia