I was sitting on the balcony of a condominium at the beach with my computer in my lap. It was time to write the conclusion for my book 5 Dreams of Every Woman: And How God Longs to Fulfill Them. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure how to end it.
In the background I listened to the excited squeals and splashes of children as they played in the swimming pool below.
One particular little girl caught my attention. She appeared to be about six years old and wore bright yellow water wings wrapped around her arms like blood pressure cuffs. As she stood on the side of the pool nervously flapping her arms, her daddy was poised in waist deep water with his arms outstretched.
“Come on honey, you can do it,” he coached. “Go ahead and jump. I’m right here.”
“But I’m scared,” she whined and flapped. “You might not catch me.”
“Don’t be afraid. I’m right here,” he encouraged her.
“But you might move,” she cried.
“I’m not going to move. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he assured her.
This bantering went on for at least 15 minutes. I was amazed at the father’s patience and persistence. But finally, she jumped! Applause went up all around the pool and the condominium balconies! By the end of the morning, the little girl was swimming like a minnow and making her way across the once seemingly treacherous waters.
As I watched her, God spoke to my heart. Sharon, sometimes you’re that little girl.
And suddenly I began to see myself standing on the edge of the ocean of God’s dreams for my life.
“Come on honey, you can do it,” my Heavenly Father calls. “Go ahead and jump. I’m right here.”
“But I’m scared,” I cry. “You might not catch me.”
“Don’t be afraid, my child. I’m right here.”
“But You might move,” I cry.
“I’m not going to move. I’m your Father. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” He assures me.
You know what? [tweetherder]I’ve learned to jump in with both feet, but never let go of God’s hand.[/tweetherder]
As women, we all have dreams hidden in our hearts and God, our heavenly Father longs to fulfill them.
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ, and so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Jesus fulfills all our dreams when we will place our hand in His hand, our hopes in His keeping, and our dreams in His tender care.
[tweetherder]“Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man – all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).[/tweetherder] And friend, that is you!What do you think keeps us from “jumping in” to all God has for us? What do you think holds us back? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment and let’s toss around some of the hindrances that keep us from jumping in. I’m going to randomly pick one comment and give away a free copy of mynew Girlfriends in God book, Knowing God by Name!
Want More?
One of the things that I think holds us back is the lie that we’re not good enough, smart enough, or talented enough. Girfriend, it is time to stop believing the lies and embrace the truth of who you are as a child of God. If this is something that you need some help with, my book I’m Not Good Enough…and Other Lies Women Tell Themselves can help you start believing in and standing on the truth.
Comments 108
I believe, one of the things holding us back is the thought of other people’s opinions, especially our loved ones & friends’. It first affects our belief in ourselves & makes us entertain doubts – in ourselves & in turn, in God.
I believe, one of the things holding us back is the thought of other people’s opinions, especially our loved ones & friends’. It first affects our belief in ourselves & makes us entertain doubts – in ourselves & in turn, in God. And also sometimes, I also find myself wondering whether my desires are aligned with God’s plans for myself. This sometimes holds me back as well.
one of the things i think stop us from jumping is weak faith. God has laid promises for us to live on but at times when trials hit us we loose the faith in Gods promises. There are 365 days in a year and there are also 365 scriptures where God says “Do not be afraid” meaning we ought not to be afraid or fear every single day.
I sit here at 4:30 am, in tears because this could have been titled Dear Sue-Ellen… I have to tell you I went to bed last night and silently cried myself to sleep because I feel like such a failure. Sometimes there are so many things on my to-do list that it makes my head spin and there is no way I (or anyone else for that matter) can possibly get them all done.. and when the to-do list for the day is not done, I feel like I have failed everyone, my husband, my kids, my work, myself and especially God.. I realized this morning that God did not write that to-do list, I did… I am not sure when I started thinking I was superwoman or why, but I feel like if I give my problems up to God that I am giving up on them, like I am a failure.. This morning I realized that giving my problems to God and letting go of the things I have no control over is not giving up, it is the first thing I should do.. Thank you so much for hearing God’s voice in your heart and sharing it with us all.. I pray that you have a blessed and beautiful day..
I don’t think it’s fair to tell people that God won’t let anything happen to them. I’ve taken risks before to go after my dreams and have been very hurt. Can we have some balance on this one please? God is there for us when we’re hurt, but He doesn’t cushion us from the pain.
Hi Sharon,
Some hindrances I have with ” jumping in” so to speak is learning to “just do it.”
Hebrews 13:5-6 says, Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Reading God’s word always is a comfort to me in anything I do that seems “too hard.” And knowing God will take care of me throughout whatever the journey might be.
Thank you for allowing me to share this with you. It has helped me remember that, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
Blessings,
Leslie
Fear unbelief past failures to name 3. But my past is over I moving forward.
For me, the fear of being disappointed with God often stops me from taking a risk or fulfilling a dream. After I read your post, I asked the Holy Spirit to search my heart for my buried dreams or ambitions. I have spent so many years in disappointment, with myself, or relationships, even with God. I don’t want to be disappointed, yet I have learned that He has changed my disappointment into joy. When my father was dying in April, I was certain, in my heart, that I would reach his deathbed before he passed. I prayed and prayed and felt reassurance from my Heavenly Father that I would be there at the right time. I had assumed it meant that I would get there before he died, but I didnt. I was at my layover in Atlanta waiting to board a plane to Philadelphia. I was so disappointed but the main disappointment was I thought GOD promised I would get there in time. What I realized that very day, once I got to Philadelphia and I was able to be with my dad before the body was removed, was I was supposed to be their at the RIGHT TIME, thats what God had promised me, I just assumed it meant the time before he passed. My role was revealed to me later as I planned his whole funeral (which was beyond my ability and not in my plan to do). I hope I can remember that when I hesitate to proceed with Gods plan because I fear being disappointed.
Thank You
Hi Sharon,
I’m Anne and I’m from Malaysia
This is really interesting
I had a talk with Jesus this morning and our conversation was about what you just shared with us
The assurance that He gives us each and every day, as we take the 1st step from the bed to the floor, is so very overwhelming but now and than I still take a step back each time I face a difficult time in my life
And with patience and persistence, He waits for me to place my hand in His
Thanks you for sharing with me
Blessing in Christ…..Anne
I think the thing that holds me back is the lies of not being enough , not being worthy of things that are greater than the eye can see. I want to believe that but the fact is my actions don’t. Forgive me Father for believing the lie.
Sharon,
I think FEAR holds us back from all that God has for us. We fear failure, fear what others will think or say about us, or even suffer from a fear of what success may bring. I have been so encouraged by 2 godly truths whenever I am faced with the FEAR of leaping into what God has for me:
1. Joyce Meyer once said that FEAR is simply False Evidence Appearing Real… so instead of believing in the lies of the enemy, I will trust in the everlasting, never failing, immovable TRUTH of God’s Word. As you indicate, God will not MOVE, he will not pull the rug out from underneath me, and he will be there to catch me if I hold onto his strong yet loving hands.
2. Whenever, I feel FEAR creep up inside of me, I remind myself that God has not given me the FEAR, but of POWER, and of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND. 2 Timothy 1:7. As such, I replace FEAR and DOUBT with the promises and treasures of this scripture. This scripture has encouraged me no matter what decision or task may face me. Boy, do I love the TRUTH of God’s Word!!!
I found in my own personal experience that I hold myself back from taking that leap of Faith.I tell myself my Heavenly Father is there and will protect be but do I fully believe it? I want to,but the truth is I’m scared. I’ve always been taught to look out for myself but I am learning that I just can’t do it all alone. I will be so happy when that gets through my stubborn head
YES! I am ready to take the leap. But I don’t think I can. I’m not strong enough. I’m not sure enough. I’m not good enough. I’m not stable enough. It’s not safe enough. My list goes on and on. But, the one that haunts me the most is….. It just doesn’t make sense! My limited mind just can not make sense of what You are doing in my life. What’s scarier than taking that leap that will certainly change my whole life, is not taking it and staying where I am. So I’m going to jump! I think!?
I think another reason that keeps us from jumping is us not knowing the character and heart of God for us as His children. God is faithful even when we are unfaithful and i dare say even faithless. He loves us enormously, indescribeably, without any reservation or condition….just as we are.
Many girls confess this truth all the time with their mouths but are not really convinced in their deepest heart of Gods love for them.
Thank you for this gentle reminder on Gods loving heart towards us.
Many blessings
Sheila Kimani
What stops me from taking the leap, money that I could have had if my husband was actually a Godly man who supported his family instead I’ve always had too. My dream is to open my own Tea Shoppe and small bakery one day and I’ve always wanted a family but he is 9 years older than I am. The 12th of this month we will have been married 15 years, he is very short tempered but has never hit me but yells loud enough for the entire world to hear, when we were first married I was always pushed away for one reason or another, I made romantic dinners, would rent and movie and just want to cuddle, the answer to sitting next to him and putting my head on his shoulder was “it’s too hot”, so I stopped trying now I live in a marriage where I’ve realized I’ve been the bank (and I am now unemployed) he blew his inheritance instead of paying off our home, now at 46 I feel like a failure, no family, no job, dreaming of that Tea Shoppe (which by the way I tried just baking for one over one summer during my unemployment and was over joyed, tired it’s hard work but over joyed my product sold out every day and had favorite requests as well! I feel like being married to him is what’s been hold me back from my dreams, that God never intended me to be with him, though I have tried hard to shares God’s lessons with him, he truly doesn’t care, material things and feeling good. So pray that God opens a door for me showing me the right direction. Because right now I am not living in a place I want to be in for very long and I am brokenhearted had not having children of my own and a husband who loves me instead of you need to dust in this room, when he is on disability and does nothing but watch TV ALL day long. Sorry to rant but fear is not holding me back, finances and knowing that if my Tea Shoppe made it, the money would be slowly taken by him for this or that….I pray God opens a door for me and things begin to turn around. I have a very good friend who has gone through what I have, she is now free from her husband and I’ve seen a transformation in her beyond imagination. Thank you for listening. I am looking forward to your new book.
My self esteem has always been a hindrance to my diving in. I had an improper belief we had to be clean before we approached the Lord. Not come as we are and then let him do his work.
Yes Im that little girl at heart who is looking to take the leap, the only barrier is that I am now past the half century mark, with many regretts following a divorce of 23 years. It seems hard to go on withease and taking any leap causes big pauses. Thanks for the insight and encouragement to reevaluate.
Good Morning Sharon,
I can’t believe I’ve received this on the morning of the first day of my 2013-14 school year! I am a teacher and still begin each year with anxiety and doubt thinking “Am I good enough?” I was told exactly 3 weeks ago I would be transferred to a new school and THREE (not one) new grade levels!!! Add to that New Jersey’s brand new evaluation system teachers need to learn…Can you say “Deer in headlights?”
However, recently becoming a believer (I can thank my son’s heroin addiction for that) I realized I am good enough for Him; I just need to remind myself THAT is what matters. I must say that although my ADHD brain will have some difficulty teasing out everything that is expected of me today, I do have a sense of quiet calm and I know that he is telling me “Go ahead and JUMP, you’ll be okay!” I often tell my students “Be like Nike and JUST DO IT!”
Your message brought me to tears and to my knees; God knew what I needed to hear, THANK YOU!
Blessings, Diane
Insecurity and the fear of failure. Fear of the unknown/ fear of not been in control/ Wanting mans approval.
Fear… Fear that maybe what I want most, he might not give me. Fear that he will decide the desires I have aren’t worthy enough for his plan. Fear that I might fail – if I give it all I’ve got but my all isn’t good enough and I fall flat on my face. Fear that he won’t be there to pick me up and dust me off because “that’ll teach her.” I am a victim of the lies when I let Satan win. I know he keeps me from all that God has planned for me – because some days I’m so insecure and hurt and broken and fearful that it feels good to give in to those lies, wrap them around me and sink into my puddle rather than freeing myself with God’s promises and truth and jumping into the ocean he wants me to be in. “But I like my puddle…it’s small and cozy and its mine…I can control my puddle. The ocean is big and scary…” How I long to be free and trust God’s plan for me wholeheartedly!!!!
I think that fear of the un known, not knowing what lies ahead because I can’t see it stop me fom jumping in to all that the Lord has for me, the uncertain ,operating in the flesh and not the spirit.
As a child learning to ride a bicycle for the first time our parents teach us how to paddle,iw to hold on to the handle bars, but we are not prepared for the fall, even though we fall they are there to help , but the lesson is in the fall, they never left.
Marilyn Williams
Thank you so much for your concern for other people.
I trust the Lord, and yet a small voice keeps saying “do you really.”
My son who is 48 years old was diagnosed in April,2013 with Glioblastoma. Grade 4 brain tumor. He is having radiation treatment, but seems to be getting worse. I believe that my GOD is big enough to work a miracle in his life and that is my prayer, & yet I have doubt, which I know is wrong. Am I praying for the wrong thing? Should my prayer be your will Lord?
Dear Mom of a son with brain cancer,
My son went through this as well, medullo blastoma, twice.
Once when he was 18 and after a year of chemo and radiation, was on the path of life again.
But two years ago it returned with a vengance and on jan. 4, 2012 he left early one morning with Jesus.
I never thought we would lose him. I hated that he did not like the condition of his life.
I never asked God to heal him. I think I knew what we needed was for us to love and support him.
God gave him the ultimate healing ~ not the one I expected but one of the verses given to me was Isaiah 43:16, 18-19
This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
the “new thing” turned out to be his new life with Jesus.
Hi Shirley, I too have trust/doubt concerns occasionally. Now, I hold on to the knowledge that the God who put love in my heart will put enough faith in me as well. I pray that God will show His glory to you everyday & erase any doubts that you may have & help you to hold on to Him always. I pray for your son’s complete healing, comfort, joy, strength, hope & faith.
Rejection. It is what keeps me from doing the amazingly wonderful things God has waiting on me. Rejection has always cemented my feet from jumping freely into His arms!
Hi Sharon. I think what holds me back is not being sure what God wants me to do? I have a lot mental health problems such as major chronic recurrent depression, anxieties, PTSD and BPD. I have kept preservering in life because of God, not because of me. I did not realize who I was in Christ until the last couple of years. My anxieties grew to the point I have worn myself out at the age of 50. I allowed myself to live with so much shame & guilt ( some which never belonged to me), low self esteem, and believing I was a failure. I no longer can work, as I have cognitive issues of poor concentration, memory etc., but I did this too myself. I now have tools I must follow. I love spending time in Gods word, but I never feel I do enough and I want to do more to please God. Unfortunately, I procrastinate as commitment is hard to how I feel, each day is different. I want nothing more than to please God, and people around me know this as I do not hide that I am a child of God! That is one area I have been more successful, but it took getting very sick too get there. I pray more young people will realize who they are in Christ before they become debilitated in any way. I have also had many suicidal thoughts throughout life, wanting to give up and YES, we can make ourselves this sick. Now, I have learned I need to persevere with integrity until God has completed his good work in me and takes me home. I want to hear MY Father say, Well Done My Child!!!!!!
Thanks sharon, I am 64 years old and sometimes I just sit……waiting for god to call me home. But then I realize god hasn’t called me home because there is something he still wants me to do. Please keep me in your prayers that god will show me his purpose for my life. I tend to rush into things…..please let me be still so I can hear him. You are a blessing Sharon……help me to be one.
I think fear keeps us from being the women God created us to be. Fear of failure, of not being good enough, of messing up etc.. It makes me think of how we don’t truly know or believe with our hearts that God loves us. ‘For there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.’ 1 John 4:18
Fear is the #1 perpetrator that keeps me from taking that leap. Fear of what could be on the other side. The not knowing makes me fearful and keeps me a prisoner in myself.
Thanks for the tears…and the encouragement Sharon. :o) What holds some of us back is that we lacked a healthy relationship with our own earthly fathers. Some of us didn’t have a father that assured us or made us feel safe and treasured. Some of us had fathers that frightened us and left us longing to feel secure with a man. It can make it more difficult to trust our Father God with all of our heart, until we really get to know Him through His Word. At 55 I still tear up when I read or watch things about a daughter and her father. The hole in my soul, that only God can fill, is much smaller than it was but an ache for the father I wish I had pops up once in a while. I’m grateful that my Father in heaven is always there with His arms wide open, saying, “You can trust Me, daughter.” Thank you for that reminder.
I struggled with not having a father who loved me. But God told me to take my father’s face off of Him. He is the perfect parent and He will fill that void. Oh how thankful I am.
Inadequacy is not the only reason that stops me from jumping in; I wonder sometimes if God is telling me to take the leap or is it my own desire or inner voice that is telling me that it is a good thing to do. I do not always trust my ability to discern between God’s nudging and my own thought.
Sharon,
Sometimes it is so very difficult to make the transition from our earthly father experiences to the wonder of our Godly Father Faith.
Thanking you,
Diane P
I never finish what I start never feel qualified enough
I think some of the fears that hold us back is rejection, disappointment that the answer might be no as well the thoughts that we are not good enough.
I know that I have been guilty of not asking God for things because I just couldn’t handle the answer “no or not yet”.
Yes, Sharon. At 64 yrs old I am ready to take the leap again in a Spanish speaking country. I remember how the enemy would lie to me through my family who knew me and would say, “you can’t do that for God”,” I know where you came from and what you did in the past”. So you dwell on it over & over in your mind. My daily prayer now is “let the spirit of God rise up within me today”. May God continue to give you insight.
Fear of failure keeps me from diving in. And also what other people will think of me.
It’s fear. Plain and simple, best-trick-the-devil-has – Fear. In our heads, we know He will catch us, and we know He won’t move. But in our hearts we remember those who have not caught us and those who have moved. Somehow it all becomes twisted around in our mind and we can’t really believe what we know to be true. Knowing something to be true and acting upon it are two very different things. Uncertainty jumps in there and laughs in our face, so we back up a step or two. Shyness joins Fear and Uncertainty and we wonder – did He really mean me? I’m sure He meant someone else, not little ole me. Good Enough swaggers up and smirks at our highfalutin’ ideas and reminds us that we are not good enough to jump off the edge. “You know you’re going slip on the edge, and one leg will be in the pool and one will be on the edge of the pool. It’s gonna hurt, you dumb bunny!” And he joins the others. Soon there is a crowd egging us on, for their own amusement, waiting and wanting to see us fail. We take our eyes off our Father and slowly back up, not wanting to fail.
And then Father climbs out of the pool, takes my hand and says, “We’ll jump together, okay?” One by one Fear and his cronies step back and finally disappear. My Heavenly Father holds my hand securely and waits until I’m ready. Finally, I nod my head, and He counts, “On 3 okay? 1 … 2 … 3….” and we both jump making a big splash. “See? You did it!” Father beams at me, “I knew you could!” I’m laughing and crying at the same time, but who can tell with all the water? “I did it, I really did it!” Father’s smile beams at me, and I am filled with love, trust, and confidence. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
That was so beautifully put. I felt like I was reading a new versin of Hinds Feet in High Places.
At my young age all I saw was abuse and then I was in an abusive marriage both physical and mental, and to this day all the negative words still stick in my head. I am not pretty who would want you. You are to fat. more and more. Then one day I just couldn’t take it no more and enough was enough I told him to leave. As Kathie said above I never had the healthy relationship with my Father. So I think this is what holds me back. I feel blessed now but still there is that voice that tells me all the negative things. God bless you.
One thing that holds me back is the unknown. Not knowing what is next or what to expect.
Fear of failure is one of the things I believe Is holding us back. If you are afraid of failure just remember that the only person who fails is the person who stops trying.
Hi Sharon,
It’s doubt, fear, unbelief. Its unbelief in myself and not God. Yes I’ve seen God work over and over again in my life. I became a widow at the age of 40 and I’m now 48 and at this very moment I can’t seem to grasp what God’s plan and will is for my life. Lately I’ve been focusing on my problems and not tbe Problem Solver. I need to get back to that place in Him. I know there are others I have to help, but how can I when I feel helpless?
One thing that hold me back is doubt, in believing that God will actually see me through it to the end, and believing that the end result will be far better than were I started from. Along with as other people have commented, those others in your life that try to put world logic as opposed to God logic into situations. I know I have done that myself, but I am learning more and more to just let go and let God. For I know if I still tried to reason my way through things. I would probably be divorced, and taking constant pity circle because I refused to do and just trust in God. Thank the Lord that I have let him lead, so my life that is still difficult so much easier when he leads than when my selfish self tries to take over.
Fear is the number one thing that holds me back from “jumping in with both feet” and allowing myself to be caught completely by His loving arms/hands. I think that I do struggle with a controlling nature, too. So I am afraid to relinquish control and walk in the wonders of what God has planned for me that is best (not just better!).
One of the things that holds us back is the hurt done to us by others. We wear that hurt like an invisible blanket, wrapped all around us. Whatever comes our way we see through our blanket and weigh the merits of trusting or not trusting, being on guard or not on guard, etc. The enemy keeps us in bondage by weaving that blanket all around us.
I struggle the fear of failure and feeling that my faith is not where it needs to be in order to succeed at things I feel God may want me to do. So I not only cheat myself but also disappoint God with that fear of failure. My goal for this week has been set to put all my faith in God and let him take control. So now I pray that he will help heal the fear that I have and help me to take the jump for him and whatever he has for me in my life.
Fear,…fear of taking the first step in anything..we are afraid to fall, to fail, to be heartbroken…to be alone…FEAR
What keeps me from just jumping in is fear. Fear can be so real and big it overwhelms it paralyzes me. Thiughts of not being good enough, being critiqued or laughed at. I need to overcome these fears.
Fear of failing one more time and procrastination. I’m so afraid of missing God, I’m afraid to take that step of faith for fear of making the wrong decision. I need to trust that my steps are ordered of the Lord and just jump in.
Hi, Sharon! A deep fear of failure, disappointment in myself, and the desire to figure out all that can go wrong before doing things are real hindrances for me.
I believe one thing that holds us back is fear, fear of not knowing the results. Which would be a lack of trust. When we step forward we need to trust The Lord with all our heart, soul, mind. Knowing we can do all things in Christ Jesus. ( Phillipians 4:13)
Kim
I believe that sometimes “accountability” or the fear of being accountable can hold us back from moving forward. If we take that step in the right direction, then we have to go all the way. We mistakenly feel that we are responsible for everything that could possibly go wrong, when in actuality we are only responsible, and accountable, for doing our part – the task that God lays before us. Yes, challenges may arise and obstacles will get in the way, but we are still responsible for completing the assignment that God has laid upon our hearts. We have to remember and hold on to the knowledge that we truly “CAN do all things through Jesus who strengthens” us! (Philippians 4:13)
I think what holds me back is the work load I carry. Other dreams are on the back burner and it seems when I set aside time to start working toward those dreams, other things crop up and take that time away. And these aren’t little things that crop up where I could otherwise say “no.”
I could write a book for what holds me back, that’s how much could be said. Let me sum it up for me …THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN….. Can I ? Could I ? Should I ?
Debbie
I truly needed to read this today as well as the GiG on procrastination! I feel I have been called me to write and eventually leave my profession of 25 years. It is a scary thought to leave the known for the unknown. I have 3 writings in the works but none of it finished. I think I am scared to complete any of them as that will mean the next step…the unknown. As you said, I need to remember that God is my loving Father, He knows my future and He will never move. Thank you for your message today! Hugs!
I believe it has to do with the old mindsets or earlier training. We have our parents beliefs, the many thoughts that have crossed our paths from outside influences over the years, and our own insecurities that keep us second guessing about the times things did NOT go the way we thought it would. So all that MENTAL Drama keeps us QUESTIONING ourselves over what we really want and desire in our hearts that God has placed there for us to pursue. It’s the enemy of doubt, double-mindedness, and delay that keeps us NOT Trusting that God is who He SAYS He is…which is why He left the Believer’s Instructions Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE) to help Guide and RENEW our minds to the course/plan God has for us.
Thanks for the Thought-Provoking question…I needed to be reminded of this. I ENJOY writings…Keep ENCOURAGING us!
To read over some of these responses I read so many that are not afraid to have faith in God. That is what I had to learn and I feel took me like the first 30 years of my life. Faith is a wonderful thing. Then I read Sarah’s response above that God still allows us to feel pain. It is not God that causes the pain…God gave man free will. The pain we feel may come from others or from ourselves. God is the one that is there for us no matter what. He is there to catch us when we jump. He is there to hear our prayers and our cries. He may not take away all the pain, but faith in God helps the healing. To suffer is to be more Christ like, don’t you think?
I think that one of the reasons we hold back is that we don’t feel like we deserve those dreams. They are exactly that: dreams.
I read ALL these comments…..and my first thought was it’s not about jumping in…..its staying in!
Who could fear the Lord?
Put your Faith in good ……we all fall short.
Satan well do in all his power to make you forget……Good……pray pray pray……God’s power is stronger than anything!
We all struggle……my faith and believe’s keep me grounded.
Not perfect at all…..who is and he was!
I think what holds us back is our own limited humanness. By that I mean that we were born and grew up learning what we needed to know to live in this world. The unknown of the next world scares us, because here is all we’ve ever known. We want to grasp onto God, once we have Him in our hearts, but we keep on going back to what we’ve learned and can see, feel, touch here in the realm of this world. The Bible teaches us not to hang on to the things of this world, but we just have such finite little minds. We know the truth, but our minds can’t quite hang on to it. So we have to continue striving toward God, hanging on to each and every word in the Bible. This is why it’s so important to stay in the Word every day, and stay connected to our church, learning more and more.
My dissapointment with mysef and the pain it causes me is something I deal with daily if not hourly on some days. I know and believe that God does have a plan for me but the revelation has yet to come. I know that I have dissapointed God with my reaction to well, basically,EVERYTHING!!! I feel totally alone….
Praying for you Sheryl. If you’ve given your life to Christ, you will never be alone..ever! Our Lord accepts you as you are – but that doesn’t mean that we don’t strive to be better every day. Forgive yourself, and move on. Yesterday is gone…stay in the Word – do something nice for someone else without expecting anything in return and be blessed. The enemy wants us to mope and be sad, but our Redeemer lives and has plans for each us! Pray for opportunities to serve Him and He will show you His plans. <3 Hugs and blessings to you.
This spoke loud and clear to me today! I lost my job in 2010 and wanted to go into business on my own. I felt a calling but did not take the risk. I had been comfortable with a corporate job for 23 years. What might happen? Would I fail? Would I have support from my husband? So many questions and silence…only because I was not listening to God! My Father desires for me to “JUMP” to Him in faith! I am now on my way to that jump of faith deep in the waters He provides. With watchful eyes and listening ears I am amazed at what is happening for my future. I just lost another job due to reduction in force and this Huge blessing and answer to my prayer is incredible! What an amazing God, Father, Provider and Creator I serve! He is good and uses all for good in His Kingdom. I will be starting my home based business soon and it is perfect in so may ways! I would love to share more but just know that the leap I am taking feels good and right in His eyes. Love your writings…ALL the time.!
Fear of failure keeps me from jumping in.
One of the things getting in our way of a “huge” leap of faith is trying to decern if the opportunity that lies before us is God’s will our our desire. It’s huge because it would involves giving up two careers that together equal 30 years of commitment, leaving the town I’ve lived in my entire life, and living on a salary that is 1/3 of what we made last year. So we are asking God for clarity and wisdom beyond our years as well as a supernatural revelation as to how we are to proceed. It would be awesome if he kick us through the door if the answer is yes or remove the offer off the table if the answer is no. There are many things to consider so we definitely need to know His plan beyond a shadow of a doubt. Your prayers, words of encouragement, and Godly wisdom would be very much appreciated.
One of the major things that can hold me back from taking the leap is the fear that the life I have planned out won’t happen. Yeah, I’m realizing my life is not my own and i am just a chapter in God’s bigger story, but I WANT to live the life I have planned out! Then it’s easy to rationalize, “well, why would Good give me such an excitement about thus? It must be ok.”
I believe one thing that holds me back is myself. Thinking I can do it all by myself instead of letting go and jump into the arms of God.
For me it is fear of the unknown. God’s plans for my life and my “old” plans were quite different. So much so I feel like I have done a 180 degree turn and am going in the complete opposite direction than I had ever thought or planned I would go! But I do have to say that so far His plan and path have been so much better and I feel such a sense of being where I am supposed to be, maybe it’s contentment or happiness, that I would not have it any other way. The next step in the process is a huge one, almost as big as the first step was, and for awhile I was so unsure and afraid. What if I am not cut out for this? What if I am horrible and can’t get it right? What if I fail? What if I don’t like this new life? What if I don’t feel fullfilled? I certainly did not feel like I was cut out for this new role! So many doubts and fears! I prayed and prayed for peace about it, but didn’t get that peace that surpasses all understanding. Honestly I didn’t get any peace about any of it! Then the doubts really started in..maybe I’m not supposed to do this, maybe I misunderstood what He meant….maybe He didn’t want me to do this after all. I felt God speaking to me, directly, through songs, and also through scripture, sermons, devotionals. I wasn’t praying the right prayer! God says to cast all your burdens on Him and He will give you a peace that surpasses all understanding. I had asked for the peace, but I hadn’t cast my burdens! It was like the light bulb clicked on for me! I prayed, and cried, and prayed some more and cast every doubt and fear I had on Him about what I was again sure that He is asking me to do. And He gave me a peace and confidence over all of it that only He can give. Do the doubts and fear still creep in at time. Oh yes, they certainly do, but I immediately go to prayer and ask Him to take it away and shut up Satan. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I love that verse and it always reminds me that His plan is best and I will prosper and good things will happen when I follow His path and not my own!
My husband teaches the college and career class at church. I have not engaged with the girls in the group as much as I should for fear of not having anything to offer them. They are in their 20’s and I’m 51. I know better than that and the Holy Spirit has been stirring my heart to possibly start a small Bible study with these girls. I think of every excuse to not do it. I am a ministry assistant to our pastor, so I work through the week (4 days) and I also care for my mom. She doesn’t live with me but I like to be available to her when I can. See….I know the excuses. I need to jump! The Lord, our Father, is there to catch me. Thank you for your words of encouragement.
This conversation is exactly what God spoke to me about in my study of the Vinedresser this morning. Thank you for the encouragement. The only dream I have admitted to in my life is that I could speak and write what is in my heart and that it would bear fruit. I do not have the talent to write a book and I have spoken a very few occasions, but He is adamant that I write–something–so I write a blog. I can only hope that it will be a blessing to anyone who reads it. Thanks again for the encouragement.
I feel it’s what others think and say about us . Our fear of messing up. I was told I had add I wish no one in my life knew because now family treat me like I don’t know any thing. They over explain things to me. They think I should not step out to do something’s. I am staring to see how much God loves me and he has shown me how to love others. I see things that blow my mind. God told me to stop living in this I am so afraid I will do something wrong or mess something up so they can say that’s just Debbie you know how she is . I end up messing up because I am so worried about it. And I won’t step out because I feel like its me just wanting to prove myself that I can do things and I am a good person . The truth is God loves me he can use me and I need to stop trying to prove my wroth to others They don’t always have it all together either . My father not wanting to have Ny thing to do with me has hurt me deeply . I am 57 and I want to move out and what Gid has for me and stop Doubting and listening to Satan’s voice. I pray God help us all find your peace know we are loved by you and no one can stop Gods plan but our thinking change our thinking so we can help other see Gods healing truth in Jesus Name.
I have had fear since 20 yrs old. I was raped , and I hated myself. Since that day docs. Diagnosed me with epilepsy , anxiety, and 2yrs ago bipolar. My fear of sickness, scared of not being loved, people seeing me as a sickly, can’t do nothing idoit. Worthless etc :-[ . Ive heard this for many yrs through friends, but also people in my family.. hurting ,crying, being told I need go to mental hospital. Hollering, hurting me. (I asked God. This is love. Why am I here. I tried to kill myself). But no more. I gave all to him ! God is moving ! SOME PEOPLE WHO DID THIS ARE NOW SAYING PRAISE GOD , I’M PROUD OF U . Docs r being amazed how far ive gotten. I’m loving myself, seeing how far god has brought me, and dancing saying Look what the lord is doin. God told me this year THIS TO SHALL PASS.! Sure enough my family being restored, people and doc saying wow =), and learning , knowing that god is love!
. God has told me many yrs ForI KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR U! NOT TO HURT U BUT GIVE U HOPE AND A FUTURE
I would jump in if I knew where! Your last three devotionals have helped me see I am ready but I have no idea what my heart’s desire is! But I am asking Him to show me.
I think sometimes that we seek counsel from well-intentioned friends and family members, instead of seeking God’s will for our lives. Sometimes we let the voices from our past create lingering doubt. And let’s not forget the father of lies who hopes that we’ll listen to him instead of trusting our perfect, loving, HOLY father. It seems easy to identify the challenging areas, and harder to apply the simpler truths. We must remain faithful to His Word, His Voice and His Plans for us – and it is then that we can let go, and fall into those loving arms.
As a woman of several past hurts in my life I am scared to jump in at times. I was in a happy marriage for about 1 year. I had a baby and i miscarried it when she was born. A few months later we had a terrible accident leaving him with a brain injury. We were both in ministry but that all came to an end after the accident. I remained married for 10 year but it was a horrible marriage. I wanted to stay in it because back then I loved him and i wanted to please God. I prayed for our marriage for years and I did everything to help him but he was abusive emotionally and physically. After 10 years I gave up, made a horrible mistake by getting involved with a married man and became pregnant. Out of my mistake God made something beautiful be born. He loaned me my Asher. Now I have 3 children and not with either of their fathers. I feel like God allowed my marriage to deteriote and sort of like he let me down. Now i feel like he is asking for me to trust him but it is so hard because of what has happened. I am struggling with this daily. But I have to trust him that he has everything under control.
Sharon,
I have several things that not only hold me back but are keeping me in bondage. I have multiple health issues & have noticed when I have been in small groups of Christian women, they don’t want to be bothered with my problems. If you can’t be fun & upbeat
they won’t accept you. I tried being a different person who people would enjoy being Sharon Jaynes
around, all the while stuffing my true feelings & pain deeper & deeper. I got tired of doing that so I stopped going to my small group & have been afraid to try a new one. Because of a chronic infection that is not contagious, I have red painful sores all over my body so I wear long sleeves & pants all summer long because I am so self-conscious to have anyone look at me, almost as if I were a leper!! I have been dealing with this for over 6 yrs, I’m disabled & the only places I go are to the store & to my dr. appts. I have become a recluse & haven’t met any friends in the time we moved here which was in 2002. My husband is a carnal Christian who works all the time & wouldn’t go to church with me so I stopped going as well. All the things I wanted in a marriage he’s not. There is no romance, no friendship, no companionship & no spiritual leadership. We don’t enjoy the same music, movies, jokes so needless to say I am a very lonely, empty shell of a person who has no goals or dreams & wonder what my purpose serving. The best thing out of our 30 yr marriage is our 26 yr old daughter who is a blessing & is blessing others as well. We are a lot alike & used to do things together before she got so busy, so she was my only outlet for entertainment which is sad in itself. I’ve depended on her way too much for needs my husband should be meeting, I’m ashamed to say. I have tried to volunteer various times but it seems when everything is in place, I’m not able to fulfill what is needed due to my physical limitations.
I used to be in the medical field in a successful career, loved being around people, & now I don’t know who that person is anymore. I have expressed to God on occasion how I feel cheated with the man I married because emotionally he is bankrupt & can’t give me the compassion I need. But, I made a covenant with God not to divorce, but sure thought of it numerous times. When you live with someone who has an explosive
temperament you continually keep building those walls to protect yourself. We have been through numerous counseling sessions but when those skills aren’t applied nothing gets any better. And so that is my life. Thank you for listening.
I’ve read all the comments above and the one thing that stands out is “FEAR”! Fear of not being good enough; fear of being judged, but by whom? By people, friends, family? Because God doesn’t judge, God loves unconditionally. He wants to care for us, but do we allow Him to? And yes, every day is not going to be perfect, but if we allow ourselves to think too much that horrible devil will be there helping us along. I am scared too. I’ve packed my things, moved, started a studio in a small village, but now I just have to trust my Heavenly Father that He will look after me. I love Him totally and I trust Him totally and I know He will always be there to catch me!!!
I’m jumping with confidence mixed with tears. I know God has a plan and even though I don’t know what that plan is or where my future will be I know God holds it in his upmost powerful hands! AMEN
I think not being able to believe with all our hearts and minds that God won’t let us down like
people will. We want to believe His promises with all our hearts, but we have the tendency to
view him as we do other people. People are imperfect and they will hurt us, leave us, and let
us down. We forget God is perfect and will never let us down, never leave us, and never hurt us. I think that holds us back from jumping in with both feet.
I believe my biggest fear is what would others think. I realized this one day when on facebook I was looking at tee shirts with pro God comments on them. I thought to myself, I would never wear one of them, what would people think. Then it hit me, “am I ashamed of God and my relationship with Him?” I realized then that my relationship with God had just taken a hit!!! God should be more important than what anyone else thinks. I got myself a tee shirt, I will not be ashamed of God, He is the power and our salvation, whom shall I fear!!!
I wish my dad had been like that little girl’s. I remember being told to jump off a wall and he’d catch me. He didn’t and said that was to teach me never to trust anyone. Perhaps that’s why I find it so hard to let go and let God.
I’m so sorry he did that to you, but your dad was wrong. God is trustworthy, and He loves you more than you could ever know.
I often don’t jump in because I’m not always certain that God is directing that event. I wait to hear him “for sure” like waiting for signs that tell me this is the path he wants me to take. The devil can be the one asking us to jump in not God. So I take my time to listen.
Faith is easy to talk about but not being sure of the outcome, holds me back. But in my heart I know Christ has me. If only I would never doubt!
I believe that fear of failure is one of the biggest reasons why we don’t trust that God will be there for us. Once we let go of that fear and the notion of what others think, we will be able to believe God for any and everything – win or lose. And we know that with God we always win, right? So why fear in the first place?
Trust & fear.
I am 48 & i don’t drive. Honestly, I don’t know if I ever will ?
I think that when I fear jumping in, it is because I struggle with completely turning things over to Him. I pray and I listen for that still small voice, but I often step right back into the picture and try to “tweak”things like I think they should be, if I think I am hearing the answer that I did not want to hear. Eventually, I figure it out that it didn’t turn out like I thought it should, because I was impatient and did not follow through with what I asked Him to do in the first place, which was take it from me and deal with it. I hope that one day soon, I will learn that when I step in the way, it’s never good. I have to turn it over to Him and leave it in His hands and w-a-i-t- for His will to be done. Lord I pray that You will continue to teach me to wait for your will to be done, no matter how long it may take. In Jesus Name I Pray- Amen
Hi! I am in much too of a melancoly mood to respond honestly althoughI will remain sincere. I am here, with open arms and heart to my Lord Jesus having been an abused wife for 10 years – listening to a Christian husband who refers to me as a degenerate and having no God that would love me or have anything to do with me…..a deacon and a Gideon who wants to “puke” when he is around me and who is a leader for Children and a Church who believes his salvation……I know that Jesus loves me….but don’t always trust in the Lord and believe in “man’s” Words. I have fears for my children and for going off on my own, although I am the financial provider for the home. God is my strength and my stronghold and Iknow that Jesus will never harm or forsake me! Thank you for your wisdom and strength; and for writing what seems to be an awesome publication with wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit.
Since I was a little girl “I’m not good enough” where did I get that? Why are some of us more insecure than others? I can wrestle with that OR choose to listen to God and remember that he is my strength and I can do all things through him!!!!!!
Denial has been my friend. I have let a host of other excuses and reasoning blind my eyes. I need to jump and I do believe God will be there to catch me. I just have to humble myself and admit that he is calling me to jump.
Fear. Rejection. Trust. Approval. These are my daily issues that repeat like a tape recorder in my mind. Like many, I was beaten, abused, and was the bedraggled kid always laughed at and made fun of. I am learning I should not let those thoughts be in front of God. (albeit…very slowly) Still, that pain is there. Thankfully, I am making tiny steps forward.
fear stops me from jumping in, fear of whether that is exactly what God wants for me, being sure of not making a mistake of jumping into what He dosent want me to jump into. so i pray for His direction and want to hear from Him if, Father am i jumping into the right pool?
My greatest hindrance is fear. I find like girl I am so afraid to move from my comfort zone and settling for less. I know if I take the leap trusting God I will have the best. I pray for the strength to fight fear and take the leap.
Hi sharon i thank u for your devotion today i am guilty of that what God want from me like you listening all these lies who had been spoken of me. I am so hurt by people i was believing now i find my jobless homeless in a strange town don’t really know anyone. My self in my two grown children now I am fifty years old no place to live no job. One of my son had a master degree in teaching cant find a good job just move to Texas one year ago to be close by me. I felt responsible because he wants to be there for me. because of that now he is suffering
Thank you! I so enjoyed reading this through my tears! I grew up without a father and never understood why I had this “hole” in my heart and mistrust of people. It wasn’t until my pastor (Dr. Charles Stanley) preached a sermon on this very subject and how he came to realize that he based his view of his heavenly Father on the relationship of his earthly step-father. His relationship with his step-father was less than loving and there was much bitterness and unforgiveness. So, how could he realize or accept the unconditional love of the Heavenly Father? I cried through the sermon, as it touched my heart because I could identify. Through counseling, forgiveness and much prayer, I learned that God loves me and that I can trust Him. It’s an ongoing prayer of mine.
My greatest problem is fear. Five and a half years ago my whole world was turned upside down. I lost absolutely everything… my health, my career (that I loved), my friends, my family, my home… I was betrayed by a close friend and have endured this health issue for all of those 5 yrs with no end in sight and with horrible pain to boot. Prior to all of this i was fearless for God – I just always knew he would be there and he would take care of me. But this really shook up my faith. I still know that he has a plan for me and that he will take care of me but now I’m scarred to step out. Scared that he will just leave me hangin because, to be honest, that’s how i felt when i got sick. My second problem is acceptance. I’m so scarred that i won’t be accepted by people. I know God wants to step out in a certain area of my life but fear seizes me every time I try. Thank you for your devotional – I’m looking at this as yet another loving nudge from my father.
One of the things that sometimes holds me back from “jumping in” to fulfill the dreams God has for me is wanting to know all of the details before hand. However, I have come to learn and trust in the one who knows the end before the beginning. Thank you for the reminder that I need to take the plunge!
I’m ready to jump! I’m having mistakes! But I’ve been asking him to show me and teach me how I need to handle situations.I’m learning. I’m not accountable for others but myself. Just because someone treats me like a child or teen, doesn’t mean I I should do same back! Ive got to be the adult.. That God wants me to be a example of God, so they can see god in me!
The fear of the unknown is the scariest part. I believe no matter what, God will help me through anything and will do anything to put me exactly where His will wants me, but the initial letting go is scary.
As a teen, one thing that hinders me is the fact that I go to school and I am faced with the uncertainity of my friends deserting me because I do believe in God. I always feel my relationship with God is stronger throughout the summer.
I believe we fail to trust God because of some disappointments with our earthly fathers.
I think we sometimes are not ready to jump in the Lord’s plan for us, because we are too scared to believe with all our heart, all ourselves that he loves us in such a way that we can not even imagine.. Maybe our faith is not strong enough and we underestimate ourselves, as you sais above!
I’d Love to have this book!
Those times when God remains silent.
MY WHOLE LIFE I HAVE FELT THAT I CAN’T DO ANYTHING RIGHT!!!!! I BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF BEING THE YOUNGEST OF FIVE CHILDREN. I HAVE ALWASY DONE EVERYTHING MORE SLOWLY THAN MOST PEOPLE .MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS WOULD ALWAYS TAKE OVER WHATEVER I WAS DOING BECAUSE THEY WER IMPATIENT ABOUT HOW SLOWLY I WAS DOING IT. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FOLLOWER BECAUSE I DON’T FEEL QUALIFIED TO BE A LEADER.
Thank you very much,and may GOD bless you for the work you are doing. I am not scared of moving forward or what people say. I believe i can make it but my question is…..how can you identify what GOD has placed in you? Thank you.
I believe with me. I was never brought up with god. I grew up in an abusive home and always fought for my life. I never new god till a year ago. I am living with an alcoholic husband and I lived withalcoholic parents. It seems like my life keeps going back to the same place everytime.but in different ways. I believe god gave me this problem with my husband so I could find god. I learnt something today I need to give God this problem and trust him as Dr. Phill says I just had a uh huh moment thank you so much.
What keeps us from jumping in, is the fear of failing and not being able to provide for our love ones if we decide to give it our all and things don’t work the first time around.