Hesitation, in a biblical context, often refers to the act of pausing or delaying in decision-making or action, particularly in matters of faith and obedience to God's commands. This concept is illustrated in various narratives and teachings throughout the Scriptures, where hesitation can lead to missed opportunities, disobedience, or a lack of faith.

Biblical Examples of Hesitation:

1. Lot's Wife: One of the most poignant examples of hesitation is found in the account of Lot's wife. As God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his family were instructed to flee without looking back. However, Lot's wife hesitated and looked back, resulting in her becoming a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). This act of hesitation demonstrated a lingering attachment to the sinful city and a failure to fully trust in God's deliverance.

2. The Israelites at the Red Sea: When the Israelites were fleeing Egypt, they found themselves trapped between Pharaoh's advancing army and the Red Sea. In their fear, they hesitated and questioned Moses, doubting God's plan for their deliverance. However, God instructed Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea, parting the waters and allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground (Exodus 14:10-16). This event highlights how hesitation can stem from fear and a lack of faith in God's power.

3. Gideon's Fleeces: Gideon, called by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites, hesitated in accepting his role. He sought multiple signs from God, including the famous test of the fleece, to confirm God's will (Judges 6:36-40). While God graciously provided the signs, Gideon's hesitation reflects a struggle with doubt and the need for reassurance.

4. Peter Walking on Water: In the New Testament, Peter's experience of walking on water towards Jesus is another example of hesitation. Initially, Peter stepped out of the boat in faith, but when he saw the wind and waves, he hesitated and began to sink. Jesus immediately reached out to save him, saying, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31). This incident underscores how hesitation can arise from taking one's focus off Christ and succumbing to fear.

Teachings on Hesitation:

The Bible encourages believers to act with decisiveness and faith, trusting in God's promises and guidance. Hesitation, when rooted in doubt or fear, can hinder one's spiritual journey and obedience to God's will.

· Faith and Action: James emphasizes the importance of faith accompanied by action, stating, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17). Hesitation can be an obstacle to living out one's faith effectively.

· Trust in the Lord: Proverbs 3:5-6 advises believers to "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" . Trusting in God helps overcome hesitation by providing assurance and direction.

· Immediate Obedience: The call to immediate obedience is exemplified in the response of the disciples when Jesus called them. They left their nets and followed Him without hesitation (Matthew 4:19-20). This readiness to follow Christ is a model for believers to emulate.

In summary, while hesitation is a natural human response, the Bible encourages believers to overcome it through faith, trust, and obedience to God's word. By focusing on God's promises and power, believers can act decisively and fulfill their divine calling.1. (n.) The act of pausing; doubt; vacillation.

2. (n.) A faltering in speech; stammering.

3635. okneo -- to shrink (from doing), to hesitate (to do)
... Word Origin from oknos (shrinking, hesitation) Definition to shrink (from doing),
to hesitate (to do) NASB Word Usage delay (1). delay. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3635.htm - 6k

3195. mello -- to be about to
... suffer something (of persons or things, especially events; in the sense of purpose,
duty, necessity, probability, possibility, or hesitation) -- about, after ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3195.htm - 9k

369. anantirretos -- without contradiction
... anantirretos Phonetic Spelling: (an-an-tir-hray'-toce) Short Definition: without
contradiction Definition: without contradiction, without hesitation, promptly. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/369.htm - 6k

687. ara -- an untranslatable interrog. particle implying anxiety ...
... and the . Depending on the context, 687 () will emphasize the aspect of
hesitation, bewilderment, etc. (JB Lightfoot). Word Origin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/687.htm - 6k

771. asthenema -- an infirmity
... Neuter Transliteration: asthenema Phonetic Spelling: (as-then'-ay-mah) Short Definition:
weakness, infirmity Definition: weakness, infirmity, doubt, hesitation ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/771.htm - 6k

8511. tala -- to hang
... A primitive root; to suspend; figuratively (through hesitation) to be uncertain;
by implication (of mental dependence) to habituate -- be bent, hang (in doubt ...
/hebrew/8511.htm - 6k

I Will Confess, However, Without Hesitation, that There are Some ...
... Chapter XLIII. I will confess, however, without hesitation, that there are
some who in a sense may? I will confess, however, without ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/apology/chapter xliii i will confess.htm

St. Paul Preached no New God, when He Announced the Repeal of Some ...
... Ancient Ordinances. Never Any Hesitation About Belief in the Creator, as
the God Whom Christ Revealed, Until Marcion's Heresy. Now ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xxi st paul preached no.htm

He Discovers the Reason of Pelagius' Hesitation So to Say.
... A Treatise on the grace of christ, and on original sin, Chapter 18
[XVII.]"He Discovers the Reason of Pelagius' Hesitation So to Say. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 18 xvii he discovers the.htm

Of the Agreement of the Evangelists Matthew and Luke in the ...
... For how many, my brethren, do you think have this day been in hesitation
whether they would go here or there? And they who in this ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon i of the agreement.htm

A Parable in a Miracle
... foulest clean. Note, again, the leper's hesitation. 'If ... had not. But his
hesitation is quite as much entreaty as hesitation. What ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/a parable in a miracle.htm

The Martyrdom of John
... the attendants of Herod"not very good judges of a religious teacher"as to who this
new miracle-working Rabbi might be, but the tetrarch has no hesitation. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the martyrdom of john.htm

The Call of Abraham
... If God bids us do, we should do at once. Abraham went without any hesitation. He
did not say, "Lord give me a little time: I will go in a week. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the call of abraham.htm

Our Friends Take it Amiss that I have Spoken of the Origenists as ...
... The inference from this is that the man who is a good liar, and without hesitation
sets before his brethren any fabrication which rises into his mouth, shows ...
/.../18 our friends take it.htm

The Epistle to the Hebrews
... St. Paul's Epistles, and the same hesitation with regard to it existed in
the great Latin-speaking Church of Carthage. St. Cyprian ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xviii the epistle to.htm

But There is a Further Fact; Forgotten Also Because we Moderns ...
... The woman's wisdom stands partly, not only for a wholesome hesitation about punishment,
but even for a wholesome hesitation about absolute rules. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 25 but there is.htm

Hesitation (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Hesitation (2 Occurrences). Acts 10:20 But arise, get
down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them." (See RSV). ...
/h/hesitation.htm - 7k

Falter (2 Occurrences)
... 6. (vt) To utter with hesitation, or in a broken, trembling, or weak manner.
7. (vi) Hesitation; trembling; feebleness; an uncertain ...
/f/falter.htm - 7k

Hem (14 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (pron.) Them. 2. (interj.) An onomatopoetic
word used as an expression of hesitation, doubt, etc. It ...
/h/hem.htm - 12k

Faltering (3 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Falter. 2. (a.) Hesitating; trembling. 3. (n.) Falter; halting;
hesitation. Multi-Version Concordance Faltering (3 Occurrences). ...
/f/faltering.htm - 7k

Doubt (49 Occurrences)
... or evidence; uncertainty of judgment or mind; unsettled state of opinion concerning
the reality of an event, or the truth of an assertion, etc.; hesitation. ...
/d/doubt.htm - 24k

Paul (207 Occurrences)
... Van-Manen's part of the one denies all the thirteen, while Maclean says: "We shall,
in what follows, without hesitation use the thirteen epistles as genuine ...
/p/paul.htm - 101k

Pause (4 Occurrences)
... action; interruption; suspension; cessation. 2. (n.) Temporary inaction or
waiting; hesitation; suspense; doubt. 3. (n.) In speaking ...
/p/pause.htm - 8k

Colors (12 Occurrences)
... yellow. A peasant chooses without hesitation a flaring magenta or yellow
or green zun-nar (girdle), rather than one of somber hues. ...
/c/colors.htm - 36k

Stick (47 Occurrences)
... often with at. 22. (vi) To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation.
Multi-Version Concordance Stick (47 Occurrences). Matthew 10 ...
/s/stick.htm - 23k

Searchings (2 Occurrences)
... The second expression may mean either irresolution or hesitation based on selfish
motives, as the heart was also considered the seat of the feelings, or ...
/s/searchings.htm - 8k

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