Shift #2: Stop Waiting to “Feel Ready” (Breaking the Pattern of Self Sabotage)

Have you ever battled with whether you were ready to move in God? Many women believe they must feel confident, healed, or certain before moving forward. I was there at one point in my life. I needed to stop waiting to feel ready because God wanted to do a great work through me, and I was causing a delay. 

It’s important that we stop waiting to feel ready because it is stifling our growth. God wants to use all of us as He used Joseph in scripture, so the excuse of not feeling ready won’t continue to work. Lives are waiting on our obedience, stepping out of fear and handing over our self-sabotage to Him. 

In Genesis chapter 37-50, we are introduced to the testimony of Joseph. Many of us are familiar with his story. Let’s walk through why he wasn’t given a choice of “Feeling Ready” to be used by God. 

His story begins with seventeen year old Joseph being despised by his brothers. Then, he had a dream about ruling over them one day, and they hated him even more. They even plotted to take his life. He had many reasons to self-sabotage his destiny and feel sorry for himself but he didn't. 

We are familiar with the story. His own brothers threw him into a pit, sold him into slavery, and he was taken into Egypt. While there, he experienced many struggles (being accused of rape, he was thrown into prison, and forgotten by those God had used him to help).

Still, he continued to trust God and didn’t realize where God was taking him. However, God was preparing him in the background for his great call. Then came the moment that changed his life. He interpreted the pharaoh’s dream. Actually, he only repeated what God revealed to him. The wisdom of God had brought him to the place of purpose. 

What is God Showing us About Joseph?
He was just an ordinary man. He wasn’t “prepared” to move into the second in command position over Egypt. This was another reason he could have used to sabotage his situation. He could have told the pharaoh that he wasn’t prepared for such a big responsibility, but he trusted God instead. 

What Keeps us Stuck?
Fear and the pain of our past. The fear of the unknown can keep us standing in place and not moving in our purpose. The pain of our past can keep us making excuses. That is why we need Christ's healing, from the inside out. 

Once we begin to walk in our healed place, He invites us to shift to a place of obedience. This is key because it can hinder us and the individuals we are called to help.

One of my former principal’s used to say, “Stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready.” Spiritually, that means being ready to allow the Lord to have control and equip you in the moment. Stay ready to obey what you might not even understand. 

We must embrace that God is the one who equips us, not ourselves. Yes, we can do some workshops and trainings, but we must remain close to Christ, so we can hear his instructions, step by step. 

Practical Application: 

Here are a few practical steps to help us shift from self-sabotage to moving in God’s purpose. 

• We must have a mindset shift - remind yourself that God will equip you every step of the way as he did for Joseph. Remember, everything we do is for God's glory, so we will always feel unprepared. The equipping comes from Him. 
• We must have a prayer focus - Write out a prayer, asking God to assist you in areas where you need help (Ex: a prayer against fear, a prayer for wisdom, a prayer to help you break the habit of self-sabotage, a prayer to heal you from the remnants of your past, etc.). 
• Take manageable steps to moving in purpose -  focus on what the LORD will equip you with.  Do the first step in the plan, not the whole plan. Ask Yourself: “What is the smallest obedient step I can take today?”

Encouragement & HOPE: 

Remember, the following: 

•  God is faithful even when we are not. 
• He has patience and will extend grace to us.
• Your identity is in Christ, walk in it. Don’t be afraid to allow him to be glorified through you. You are worthy because He made you worthy. 

• Speak life over yourself as you go.

Closing Prayer: 

Father, I pray for your daughter reading this. Help her to trust you to help her take the shift from self-sabotage or stagnation to moving forward in purpose. Help her to understand that you have the power to and will equip her with courage, peace, and the ability to fulfill your purpose. Let her know that you can use her as you used Joseph, but she must seek you and allow you to guide her as Joseph did. You saved many lives through Joseph, and you desire to do the same in her life as well. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

*Please take a moment to leave a comment below with the first step you took to shift into moving in God.

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Thanks for stopping by and keep living "That HOPE Life!" 

​Denise M. Walker