How to Squash Self-Doubt
For one thing, we tend to rely on “self”. We forget that we are not operating in our own strength, but with the strength the Lord has given us to accomplish the tasks He has set before us.
Welcome to the 87th issue of The Aim and Soar Life, a weekly newsletter about faith, personal growth, and lifestyle that provides actionable, relatable, and biblically rooted content to help you live abundantly and GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Happy November, Friend! I hope you had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!
Today, I am closing out my November theme, “Breaking Chains.” Next Sunday, we will officially be in December! Can you believe it? Where is the time going? It seems to be zooming by.
With that being said, indulge me if you will.
Has God given you a particular talent, skillset, or spiritual gift that you know you aren’t fully utilizing?
Writing is a talent and skill set of mine. I even utilize my writing to express my spiritual gift of teaching. It comes easy to me, and I absolutely love it!
But I can say with 100 percent honesty that I am not fully utilizing what God has given me. I could write more. I even want to write more, but I don’t. Why? Sometimes, I just don’t “feel” like it. Other times my careers as an educator, and therapist zap my energy.
And then there are those times when I struggle with questions like, “Does anyone really care what I have to say?” or “Is my writing really making a difference in people’s lives?” These questions stem from self-doubt.
We all experience it from time to time. But if we succumb to it, we can miss opportunities to bless others.
So, how do we banish self-doubt?
1. Rely on Your Godfidence (Confidence that stems from your relationship with God)
God has given each one of us a set of skills or talents we can use to take care of ourselves. And every believer has received one or more spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit when he or she accepted Christ.
If we know what we have has been given to us by God, why so much self-doubt?
I’m glad you asked!
For one thing, we tend to rely on “self”. We forget that we are not operating in our own strength, but with the strength the Lord has given us to accomplish the tasks He has set before us.
Remember Moses? God called him to free the Israelites, and when He was giving Moses his assignment of going to Pharaoh so that he could lead the Israelites out of bondage, our cousin Moses had a bunch of excuses as to why he wasn’t cut out for the job.
The very first question Moses asked when God gave him his assignment was “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
11 But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
Exodus 3:11, HCSB
Let’s take a closer look at the question Moses asked. But just for the fun of it (And for the sake of you being real with yourself), let’s play a little fill-in-the-blank with whatever you know you should or could be doing with your talents and gifts. “Who am I that I should ________________?”
If you have ever asked yourself this question, you have thrown a bucket of self-doubt water on the flame God has placed in your heart.
You are thinking and operating from your own strength and what you can do, not what God can do through you.
If you read Exodus chapter 4 you will find that Moses also “informed” God that he wasn’t a good speaker, as if God hadn’t created him for the task at hand.
God has also created you for the task at hand.
Let your Godfidence be your strength. God has already placed in you everything you need to accomplish what you have been chosen to do.
God is with you, just like He was with Moses. Ask Him how He wants you to use what He has given you and then get to it.
Rely on God, not self.
2. Be Prepared
You can have all the talent, skills, and gifts in the world, but preparation is still necessary.
For example, one of my spiritual gifts is teaching, but before I teach the Word of God, I have to pray, study, and internalize it. I can’t just shoot from the hip. And I still have to sit under my pastor’s teaching and preaching, so that I can continue to learn.
I believe that God delights in our preparation because it honors Him when we adequately prepare for the things He has called us to do.
It shows that we are taking what He has given us seriously.
Most singers can naturally sing. But the best singers continue to take vocal lessons and perfect the instrument that is their voice. That is preparation.
Even if you are already operating in your gifts, you must continue to do the things necessary for you to flourish. If you are a leader, that may include leadership training.
Always be open to learning.
Even though Spiritual gifts are given to you by the Holy Spirit, it doesn’t mean that you “get it and forget it.”
You are tasked with the challenge of doing what you can to use the gift to the best of your ability. That requires being discipled and trained in your areas of gifting.
It’s simple preparation.
And if it is a talent or skill that you possess that you experience self-doubt about, preparation can help to alleviate your doubt.
Maybe God has called you to start a business. Seek mentorship and learn as much as you can about the business you are interested in. Pray for guidance as you work, learn, and prepare.
3. Be flexible
Once you stand on your Godfidence and make sure you are prepared, the next thing you need to do is learn to be flexible.
You must always leave room for God to move.
Here’s what I mean.
Say for instance, God has placed a dream in your heart to do something. He’s given you the skills you need and you’ve been preparing. What happens when things don’t line up the way you hoped or imagined?
Will that cause you to doubt yourself all over again? For many of us, it will.
What you must understand is that God doesn’t always tell us the “how” when He gives us the vision. There is often a process, and the process may not be one we would choose for ourselves.
If you have started a business or ministry and it doesn’t seem to be getting off the ground like you imagined after you have prayed and submitted it to God, I want to challenge you to leave room for God to move. He may be telling you to go right when you had planned to go left. Be ready to switch gears on a dime if that is how God is leading you.
He has his reasons why certain things do or don’t happen at certain times, and we won’t always know why. In fact, we hardly ever know why.
Commit the work you are doing to the Lord and let Him do the rest!
Commit your activities to the Lord,
and your plans will be achieved.Proverbs 16:3, HCSB
What we deem as failure, just might be a part of God’s preparation journey for us! It might be His way of building our faith in Him.
What we deem as failure, just might be a part of God’s preparation journey for us! It might be His way of building our faith in Him.
You can’t get so stuck on your plans that you are angry when God changes the plan! He has the right to intervene in your life, even when you’ve made plans 😂
Soldiers are sometimes given orders at the last minute, and then while they are in the midst of carrying out those orders, the orders can change again because whoever is in charge deems it necessary. A soldier’s job is to go with the flow. Follow orders.
This is soldier life (In the army of the Lord😍)
You may be in the midst of what seems like a failure, but your loving Father may be just modifying your orders. Bend to His will.
Be willing to let go of your vision, your way of doing things, and your timing.
Allow yourself to hear from God and be ready to change directions. After all, It’s His work we are doing. Remain flexible. Allow God to change your plans without you grumbling. It will increase your trust in Him.
The more you TRUST God, the less self-doubt you will experience, because you will understand it’s in Him that you live, move, and have your being (Acts 17:28)!
Peace and Love
Until Next Time,
GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Sherrhonda😍
P.S.
I’d LOVE for you to meet me on the web: