Willie Nelly Syndrome

Double-mindedness is a person vacillating between stability and instability in their belief system.  The opposite of this thought is walking by faith, which enters into this struggle called life.

Taking a stand for something when others balk at the idea not only requires willpower to keep from being moved from a place of solidarity; it takes intestinal fortitude to stand for what is right—guts not to waver in one’s faith.

Faith is the “backbone” to believe in something so strongly that a person need not see the results first.  Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Peer pressure can be a menace to sound judgment.  It sometimes overrides practical thinking if we allow it to happen.  This is the Willie Nelly syndrome of unorganized behavior, waffling, and an undisciplined thought process.  In other words, being unstable in all areas of life.

I believe it is the lack of confidence a person allows to overshadow them.  In some cases, a person does not want to be ostracized by others.  This alone can produce instability in a person’s thinking, causing hesitation to take the proper approach that is needed, or finding themselves stepping back from actions that should be taken.

It is being afraid to make a decision for fear of losing friends, relationships, or popularity. Scripture speaks of this in James 1:8: “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.”  I call it Willie Nelly thinking.

I know it is easier to talk about this subject—or write about it—than it is to actually be faced with choices and decide whether to react to the pressure or stand firm, afraid to act because a backbone has not yet been developed.

This is where the Holy Spirit becomes our strength, where we step out in faith to stand for what we believe rather than shrink back because of external pressures to compromise.

1 John 4:4 says, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

A Willie Nelly syndrome is in the mind of those who depend upon themselves to stand against the wiles of the enemy, rather than standing in God’s strength and power to overcome fear and compromise.

The Lord is our strength and hope.  When the time comes to stand for what is right, we need not take a backseat to the howling winds of opposition.  We can stand firm—not because we are strong enough on our own, but because “He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd