Bending, stretching, learning, growing.
Teaching, preaching, resting, growing.
Feeding, thinking, searching, growing.
Reflecting, connecting, expecting, knowing.
That’s the life cycle of anyone who is journeying toward Well Done — using their inherent gifts in myriad ways to complete the long-term project assigned by God known as purpose. Along the way you encounter obstacles though: doubt, lethargy, opposition, and fear, and the greatest of these is fear.
As you draw closer to your next growth spurt, fear becomes more pronounced. After a season of bending, stretching, and learning, it perches high and waits to prey on the solutions to your worries.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power,love and self-discipline. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
Worrying about what might happen does little in aiding us on our journey to purpose. Trusting in God and the tools he gave us, helps to push fear further away. You’ll notice that it fades into the background during the season of teaching, preaching, and resting, but doubt may just make a cameo appearance at this stage, so rise up, and prepare to move mountains.
Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. ~Mark 11:23
Both fear and doubt tend to fade away during seasons of reflecting, connecting, and expecting. This is the most powerful phase that you’ll go through. If only you could camp here for a lifetime. But cycles are meant to repeat, and the purpose snatchers — fear and doubt will soon darken your door again. When they arrive this time, your wisdom, gained from years of experience, will surface to fight and win the battle in your mind against these evil twins.
Never underestimate these worthy opponents. It is presumptive of you to think that you’ll always win. Spouting random verses that you Googled to face them won’t do much to protect you if you don’t yet know the Protector. The battle raging within can only be tempered by the Creator of all things. His perfect blend of love, compassion, and revelation will yield a consistency that your troubled mind can adhere to and find peace. Getting to know the Prince of Peace is the only strategy you need to win the battle within.
Is there a battle raging inside of you? What will you do to win? Join me in the comments, and share your battle strategy. May blessings abound! <3
P.S. This post is part of a four-part series. Read Part II here.
Beautiful and expressive post !
Life is indeed a bunch of cycles we go through in order for us to reach what we’ve always planned! ☺️
Enjoy your day ❤
Indeed, Saraa! It’s nice when a cycle repeats and we know what to do. 😀
Oh this is wonderful…contantly in hus grace and guidance , keeos us ready for the cycles if fear, worry,doubt, pain. Great post thanks for sharing
If we draw close to him, the way is so much easier. <3
*his. *keep
Great post! Thank you for your words!
You’re welcome, my friend. Have a wonderful week! <3
This is great. I am currently struggling with my purpose. I know it’s to support the kingdom and give God the Glory, but my interests are varied…mostly in the arts, and yes, I have fear and doubt about doing new things. Will I succeed? Will I fail? It’s not easy trying to start over again. Please keep me in prayer.
I will lift you in prayer. Ask God what he would have you do to glorify him? He has already given you countless talents, abilities, and gifts. Your job is to steward what you’ve been given. Thanks for stopping by and chiming in, Caroline. <3
Of the battles, man versus himself appears a greater challenge for one to win. The mind is our downfall or for a better term our battlefield. For this reason, the word tells us to renew our minds daily, not every now and then. When Paul told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith, Paul knew as a believer man would war against his mind or himself. Man would struggle with believing or holding on to faith that God’s word was true during times of adversity or when prayers seemed unanswered.
Such knowledge, Yvonne! The mind is indeed the battlefield. Thanks, as always, for your insight.