Pushing on Past Those Roadblocks...

The more I think about doing things, sometimes, the harder it becomes. I have a tendency to over analyze things. I find that when I do, I am far less likely to step out and do what ever it is that I'm considering. Besides, I make myself miserable and torture everyone I talk with about it.

One of the things that prevents me from moving ahead is that I have to get out of my COMFORT ZONE! Yikes!!!! I remind myself that "I have never done this kind of thing before!" After all, I might have to get up earlier or give something up or stay up later. I might have to say "no" to something else. I could make someone mad or disappoint them.

It is so hard to change my routine and start something different and new. It is such a stretch! I am so afraid of failing that I don't want to try. Then I realize that if it is something that I can easily do, then it probably is not God pushing me to do it. If it is something that ONLY God can do, then He will get the glory and He will enable me to do it.

It is a decision. Almost everything in life that is important or meaningful takes a stretch and work and stepping out. We can't remain "comfortable" and make a difference. We must make an effort to learn new things and grow. We can't move to the 2nd grade until we learn to subtract after we learn to add... we must learn to multiply, divide, and work with fractions.

If we just take one step at a time, then the comfort zone is a little easier to stretch... We don't have to move from 1st grade straight to college. We take one grade at the time.

Another area that prevents us from pushing on is POOR TIME MANAGEMENT. We waste lots of time... on the internet (guilty), day dreaming, watching tv, reading things that are not enriching, talking on the phone, sleeping... you get the message. I'm not condemning us. We all need some "down time" and time to rest and relax and for recreation. But, it is when those things control us and prevent us from doing what is really of eternal value and beneficial.

We all have lots of commitments and things that need to be done. We are pulled in so many different directions. I think that we could all probably manage our time better. It seems that the more I have to do, the more I get done.

If I don't have much to do, I suffer from the IGAD disease (pronounced eeeeegad!) it stands for "I've Got All Day"... meaning that I piddle around and don't get anything done. Then all of a sudden I realize the day is almost over and I haven't done much and should have done some things so I rush around and don't really do anything well, get in a dither and a bad mood wanting to blame someone else for my lack of productivity.

We all know that we do what we want to do. We make time to do what is important to us. We make choices. We also know that we don't do lots of things that we should... Our instructions are: seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added.

Maybe it is time to re-evaluate our activities to determine the eternal value of what we are doing. If what we spend our time doing will not make a difference in someone's life or if in 5 years won't matter, then maybe we need to consider not doing it.

Sometimes I know I SHOULD be doing something, but I just don't WANT to! I know it is something that God wants me to do, but.... what I'm really saying is "I'm choosing not to do this"... that is REBELLION. (you could call it disobedience, but it is really just plain ole rebellion)

Sometimes when God asks us to do something, we think it will cost us too much. So, we give or do something else.. . we even make "sacrifices" instead of doing what He asks. I used to tell my children that "you are happy when you obey". God desires obedience more than sacrifices. With obedience always comes rewards and blessings.

I don't know why it is so hard for us to see that. It is like we don't trust God to take care of us and think that somehow He is trying to take something from us and hurt us. When He is really trying to bless us and protect us.

You know, we really are the happiest when we are doing what we KNOW we are supposed to to because we don't have to carry around the guilt and bad feelings and hide when we aren't doing what we should. We have a feeling of accomplishment and joy when we obey. Obedience has great rewards.

So, what is it that you have been holding back from doing? What is it that you WANT to do that you haven't done?

I'd like to encourage you to step out... pray about it and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the roadblocks and show you how to get through them. We can overcome, we can press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling. We can accomplish great things in the Kingdom.

We have a purpose. We have a calling. We are here for a reason.

If you don't know yours, then I encourage you to pray - without fear - and ask our Father to reveal it to you and then step out into your call and purpose. You will be so happy that you did!

Blessings... I can't wait to hear how God is using you!