Have you ever not done something you knew was good for you and others just because you were too scared?

I know I certainly have.

I’ve not asked for opportunities I knew God wanted me to pursue because they were scary. I’ve said “no” to good things because of fear.

This is absolutely normal but it doesn’t mean we have to stay in that place of fear. And in fact, to do so is in itself disobedient.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

God has called all His people to be brave, courageous, humble and faithful. He calls us to follow His leading even when it’s scary and unknown.

If we choose not to do something God has for us because we’re afraid, worried about what others will think of us or feeling like we aren’t qualified to step into a particular space, that is our pride keeping us from the blessing and peace of obeying God.

Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

Recently, I traveled to a faith-based business conference all by myself. I drove 8 hours away from Indianapolis to Atlanta to be present at this event. I won’t lie to you friend, I was scared.

Terrified, in fact, to travel that far away by myself, to go to an event where I knew no one and to navigate a huge city alone. And I wasn’t alone in my fear. Others were concerned for me but I knew I had to be there.

God has been working and stirring in my for my business and community and I knew there was blessing there for me. Little did I know there was blessing for others there also through me and my story.

The women I got to connect with and learn from was honey to my soul. If I had chosen to give in to fear, that would’ve been kept from me. If I had chosen to give in to fear, what God laid on my heart to share with others would’ve been kept from them.

During this event, God dropped this word into my heart: My comfort is not more important than someone else’s breakthrough.

My comfort is not more important that what is asking me to do. My pride is not more important than the people I’m meant to bless and serve through my obedience.

If Unchecked, Your Pride Will Rob You and Others of Blessing

If we are not careful, our pride will keep us from all the good things God has for us when we step out in faith.

What would the Kingdom of God look like if all His children fearlessly obeyed without thinking about themselves? What if teachers and speakers stepped on stage without fear of opinions of the crowd? What if we introduced ourselves to the person behind is in line without fear that it won’t go well? What if we shared Jesus with our neighbor without fear of their judgment of us?

Pride is like a virus that paralyzes God’s people from doing His work here on earth.

Pride doesn’t always look like an openly selfish or boastful heart. Sometimes it looks like someone caring more about our own comfort or security than doing what God is asking us to do. Pride can look like caring too much about what others think or giving to much attention to how our lives present to the world. #SocialMedia

In order to walk in the greatness and strength God has for us, we have to be willing to be weak and humble enough to put away our pride.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves

Phillipians 2:3

So, what are some ways we can get outside of ourselves?

Shifting our focus off of ourselves is important work and something we can benefit from doing regularly. Here are some ideas:

• Be in His word regularly. Meditating on God and His splendor through His word is the best way to move our eyes from ourselves to Jesus.
• Get out in nature. This is another way to remove ourselves from the noise around us and take in God’s creation. There is no better humbling experience than staring at the vast ocean or looking out on a mountain range.
• Ask for feedback from others. We need constructive feedback and a very good way to humble ourselves is to ask for criticism from safe people in our lives. Then, when we receive some not-so-gentle feedback from others unsolicited, we’ll be primed to discern and humbly hear from others.
• Ask for help. Nothing humbles a heart like admitting we need help. Ask for prayer when the opportunity arises. Let others serve you when they offer. Pride keeps us from the blessing others try to offer, so practice humility and regularly ask for the help you need.

These are just a few simple ways we can refocus outwardly, and in this week’s Featured Post, Katie from The Joyfully Imperfect shares a beautiful story from her friend with us that will remind us what blessings our pride can rob us of. I pray it encourages you the way it encouraged me:

How Much Is Your Self-Esteem Costing You?

As women, we all struggle with it to some degree, right?

Self-consciousness.

Self-esteem.

Self-confidence.

Whatever you want to call it, none of us are strangers to this insidious disease that plagues us all. It may be that we refuse to take a chance and try that new thing because we are worried about what others will think of us. It could be that we decline the invite to join that Bible study for fear that we might actually have to talk in front of others about our faith or the messy parts of our lives or, heaven forbid, our lack of biblical knowledge will be readily apparent. Or it may be as simple as missing out on making memories with our own children at the beach because our pride rears its ugly head and gets the best of us when we think of putting that bathing suit on and letting our cellulite peek out. In each of these scenarios, we pay dearly by missing out on amazing experiences and incredible memories with our people.

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