Wavering
Jump to: Webster'sConcordanceThesaurusGreekHebrewLibrarySubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
Wavering, in a biblical context, refers to a lack of steadfastness or firmness in faith, belief, or decision-making. It is often associated with doubt, indecision, and a lack of trust in God's promises. The concept of wavering is addressed in several passages throughout the Bible, highlighting the importance of unwavering faith and the consequences of doubt.

Biblical References:

1. James 1:6-8 : "But let him ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." This passage emphasizes the necessity of faith without doubt when approaching God in prayer. The imagery of a wave, unstable and easily swayed, illustrates the nature of a doubting heart.

2. Hebrews 10:23 : "Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." Here, believers are encouraged to maintain a firm grip on their hope and faith, trusting in the faithfulness of God. Wavering is contrasted with the steadfastness that comes from trusting in God's promises.

3. Matthew 14:29-31 : "‘Come,’ said Jesus. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. ‘You of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did you doubt?’" This account of Peter walking on water illustrates how wavering, prompted by fear and doubt, can lead to failure. Jesus' response underscores the importance of maintaining faith even in challenging circumstances.

4. Romans 4:20 : "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God." This verse refers to Abraham, who is commended for his unwavering faith in God's promise, despite the improbability of its fulfillment. Abraham's example serves as a model for believers to trust in God's promises without hesitation.

Theological Implications:

Wavering is often seen as a spiritual weakness that can hinder one's relationship with God. It reflects a lack of trust in God's character and His ability to fulfill His promises. The Bible encourages believers to cultivate a steadfast faith, rooted in the knowledge of God's faithfulness and sovereignty.

The call to avoid wavering is not merely about personal resolve but is deeply connected to one's understanding of God's nature. A firm faith is built on the assurance of God's unchanging character and His commitment to His people. Believers are urged to seek God's wisdom and strength to overcome doubt and to remain steadfast in their faith journey.

Practical Application:

To combat wavering, Christians are encouraged to immerse themselves in Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. These practices help reinforce faith and provide support during times of doubt. Additionally, reflecting on God's past faithfulness can strengthen trust in His future promises.

In summary, wavering is a challenge that believers must confront with the help of God's Spirit, seeking to develop a faith that is unwavering and fully reliant on the truth of God's Word.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Waver.
Greek
1374. dipsuchos -- of two minds, wavering
... of two minds, wavering. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: dipsuchos Phonetic
Spelling: (dip'-soo-khos) Short Definition: double-minded, wavering ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1374.htm - 7k

186. aklines -- unbending
... Word Origin from alpha (as a neg. prefix) and klino Definition unbending
NASB Word Usage without wavering (1). without wavering. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/186.htm - 6k

5049. teleios -- completely
... Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: teleios Phonetic Spelling: (tel-i'-oce)
Short Definition: perfectly Definition: perfectly, completely, without wavering ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5049.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
4571. maad -- to slip, slide, totter, shake
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to slip, slide, totter, shake NASB Word Usage
shake (1), slip (2), slipped (2), unsteady (1), wavering (1). ...
/hebrew/4571.htm - 6k

4132. mot -- a shaking, pole, bar (of a yoke)
... From mowt; a wavering, ie Fall; by implication, a pole (as shaking); hence, a yoke
(as essentially a bent pole) -- bar, be moved, staff, yoke. see HEBREW mowt. ...
/hebrew/4132.htm - 6k

Library

A Word to the Wavering Ones
... Chapter 12 A Word To The Wavering Ones. "But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/the god of all comfort/chapter 12 a word to.htm

The Risen Lord's Self-Revelation to Wavering Disciples
... VOLUME II: ST. LUKE Chaps. XIII to XXIV THE RISEN LORD'S SELF-REVELATION
TO WAVERING DISCIPLES. 'And, behold, two of them went that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/the risen lords self-revelation to.htm

Of Porphyry's Weakness in Wavering Between the Confession of the ...
... Book X. Chapter 26."Of Porphyry's Weakness in Wavering Between the Confession
of the True God and the Worship of Demons. I know ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 26 of porphyrys weakness in.htm

The Emperor Ascribes his Personal Piety to God; and Shows that we ...
... invincible; and no one fails to attain his object who addresses holy supplication
to God: nor is a refusal possible, except in the case of wavering faith; [3493 ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter xxvi the emperor ascribes his.htm

The Epistle of St. James
... of the sea whirled and swayed by the wind; ^7, 8that man need not imagine he will
get anything from God, double-minded creature that he is, wavering at every ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the epistle of st james.htm

A Divine Cordial
... 1. The certainly of the privilege: "We know." It is not a matter wavering or doubtful. ...
If we are doubting Christians, we shall be wavering Christians. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/a divine cordial.htm

The Fourth Rule of Prayer Is, that Notwithstanding of Our Being ...
... But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering" (James 1:5). He most aptly
expresses the power of faith by opposing it to wavering. ...
/.../calvin/of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith/chapter 11 the fourth rule.htm

Sin and Forgiveness
... the graphic force of the word as giving the straight line to which our conduct ought
to run parallel, and the contrast between it and the wavering curves into ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/sin and forgiveness.htm

Defence of S. Basil's Statement, Attacked by Eunomius, that the ...
... dishonesty prompt him to put this dose of words [191] anomalously used into his
attempts; he turns completely round, because his judgment is wavering and his ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 37 defence of s.htm

October 8 Evening
... Full assurance of faith. Faith without wavering."Faith, nothing wavering . . . He
that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ...
/.../anonymous/daily light on the daily path/october 8 evening.htm

Thesaurus
Wavering (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Wavering (3 Occurrences). Hebrews 10:23 let us hold fast
the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful. ...
/w/wavering.htm - 7k

Wavereth (1 Occurrence)
... Wavereth (1 Occurrence). James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For
he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ...
/w/wavereth.htm - 6k

Waves (43 Occurrences)

/w/waves.htm - 18k

Vacillating (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Vacillate. 2. (a.) Inclined to
fluctuate; wavering. Multi-Version Concordance Vacillating (1 Occurrence). ...
/v/vacillating.htm - 6k

Vacillation (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The act of vacillating; a moving one way and the
other; a wavering. Multi-Version Concordance Vacillation (1 Occurrence). ...
/v/vacillation.htm - 6k

Vindicate (18 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). Psalms 26:1 By David. Judge me, Yahweh, for I have walked in my integrity.
I have trusted also in Yahweh without wavering. (See NAS RSV NIV). ...
/v/vindicate.htm - 11k

Weak (102 Occurrences)
... hence, foolish. 13. (vi) Not having full confidence or conviction; not
decided or confirmed; vacillating; wavering. 14. (vi) Not ...
/w/weak.htm - 38k

Waver (8 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 10:23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for
he who promised is faithful. (Root in WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). ...
/w/waver.htm - 9k

Irresolute (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Not resolute; not decided or determined; wavering;
given to doubt or irresolution. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/i/irresolute.htm - 6k

Indecisive (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (a.) Undetermined; prone to indecision; irresolute; unsettled; wavering; vacillating;
hesitating; as, an indecisive state of mind; an indecisive character. ...
/i/indecisive.htm - 7k

Resources
How can I tap into the wisdom of God? | GotQuestions.org

Is it wrong to feel disappointment with God? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about the prosperity gospel? | GotQuestions.org

Wavering: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Wavering (3 Occurrences)

Hebrews 10:23
let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.
(WEB KJV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
(KJV WBS)

Psalms 26:1
By David. Judge me, Yahweh, for I have walked in my integrity. I have trusted also in Yahweh without wavering.
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Wavering

Related Terms

Calm (18 Occurrences)

Storm (62 Occurrences)

Roar (53 Occurrences)

Roaring (28 Occurrences)

Raging (26 Occurrences)

Beat (85 Occurrences)

Swell (9 Occurrences)

Seas (40 Occurrences)

Rolling (32 Occurrences)

Boat (52 Occurrences)

Floods (37 Occurrences)

Swept (43 Occurrences)

Filled (336 Occurrences)

Violent (151 Occurrences)

Noise (126 Occurrences)

Overwhelmed (33 Occurrences)

Wavy (1 Occurrence)

Interference (1 Occurrence)

Insomuch (24 Occurrences)

Foam (5 Occurrences)

Tempest (30 Occurrences)

Thundering (16 Occurrences)

Terror (137 Occurrences)

Toss (13 Occurrences)

Engulfed (8 Occurrences)

Exclaimed (45 Occurrences)

Earthquake (17 Occurrences)

Motion (8 Occurrences)

Pounding (4 Occurrences)

Beach (7 Occurrences)

Billow (1 Occurrence)

Billows (18 Occurrences)

Already (171 Occurrences)

Amazement (32 Occurrences)

Stirs (23 Occurrences)

Surging (10 Occurrences)

Stirreth (16 Occurrences)

Shipwreck (3 Occurrences)

Swirled (2 Occurrences)

Stillest (2 Occurrences)

Swamped (3 Occurrences)

Sand (40 Occurrences)

Encompassed (34 Occurrences)

Ship (122 Occurrences)

Raiseth (33 Occurrences)

Lake (45 Occurrences)

Stars (64 Occurrences)

Roll (57 Occurrences)

Proud (96 Occurrences)

Perfect (205 Occurrences)

Orders (736 Occurrences)

Tumult (56 Occurrences)

Hadst (43 Occurrences)

Casting (54 Occurrences)

Compassed (52 Occurrences)

Depths (56 Occurrences)

Troubled (244 Occurrences)

Heave (25 Occurrences)

Thunder (48 Occurrences)

Judah (802 Occurrences)

Flowing (123 Occurrences)

Compass (51 Occurrences)

Silence (80 Occurrences)

Noah (55 Occurrences)

Wind (180 Occurrences)

Fast (157 Occurrences)

Deluge (17 Occurrences)

Kishon (6 Occurrences)

Nether (19 Occurrences)

Nearly (13 Occurrences)

Unscrupulous (2 Occurrences)

Unmoveable (2 Occurrences)

Ungodly-men (1 Occurrence)

Ungodly (41 Occurrences)

Ungodliness (9 Occurrences)

Overwhelm (18 Occurrences)

Ocean (3 Occurrences)

Lighting (9 Occurrences)

Lie (291 Occurrences)

Wavereth
Top of Page
Top of Page