Fight the Resistance
“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us.”
So what stands between this life that we are currently living and the life we want to live? What is that? It ‘s resistance. When we have these dreams and goals and we sense we have this God given purpose within us that we are meant to fulfill what gets in the way of us fulfilling that? Resistance.
Anytime you have a desired level of growth resistance is going to occur. The larger the impact, the greater the resistance. If you are dreaming big and making big plans know that resistance is around the corner. If there are going to be people impacted and if you are truly going to become the best version of yourself, trust me, resistance is going to come.
One of the first and most common forms of resistance is: LIFE. You are going to set out to do big things, map out your whole week, and line up everything in your calendar. You are going to make a conscious decision to live out of structure and not emotion. You are going to work hard to prioritize pursuing your dream, making time for personal development and for connecting with key life-giving people… AND THEN… you wake up sick, your kid gets sick, your babysitter cancels, you realize your calendar is filled with crazy amounts of school and sports stuff. Ugh. So now what?!
Life is going to happen and you will not always see it coming. Something is going to try to thwart your calendar and in doing so steal the time, energy and focus you had prepared to put towards chasing your dream. That is resistance.
So what is your response? Do you get frustrated, throw your hands up and say forget it? Maybe next week? Or do you find new time? Create new white space? Say no to some other good things in order to say yes to the great things? Get up a little earlier and stay up a little later?
Life will provide lots of opportunities that you can use as your excuse. That’s resistance. The chaos, the unexpected, and the unwanted things that happen in life will try to distract you from your purpose. Don’t let them. Setbacks will come, discouragement will creep in, and disappointment will try to keep you down but press on and persevere. Your purpose is too important to let life get in the way.
Once we have clarified what it is that we want or feel called to do, it becomes easier to design the path to get there. The dilemma is that when we set out on our path to achieve our personal success we often feel like we aren’t moving quick enough, things aren’t as smooth as we would like them to be, the doubts begin to set in. and we start looking to the left and to the right.
Why aren’t doors opening for me but they are opening for her? You are going to plan out the path to success and what that looks like and as you are you working hard and praying hard and believing you are going to look around and feel like it’s happening for everyone but you.
You are going to want to compare and compete. That’s resistance. Don’t give in.
One of the most common forms of resistance is found in self-sabotaging thoughts. These thoughts start showing up anytime we want to grow or attempt something new or different. Anytime we are stretched beyond the familiar. Those are a form of resistance. There is power that comes when I identify what those self-sabotaging thoughts are for me.
The doubt, insecurity, unmet expectations, they are all resistance.
The: Am I good enough? Do I have what it takes? Does anyone even care of what I have to say?
All resistance. If I choose to give in and believe those thoughts then they will hold me back, slow me down and ultimately stop me from fulfilling my God given purpose. When you and I commit to identify, call out and work through these self-sabotaging thoughts that’s when the break through really begins to take place. When you replace those misbeliefs with truth you will find a whole new freedom that energizes you to walk boldly and confidently in who you were created to be.
Be aware though that as you begin to live boldly, passionately and confidently you may disrupt those that are around you. When an awakening or a big shift takes place in you often what occurs is you rock other people’s boats. Resistance is going to come in a lot of forms. It’s going to come in the form of critics and haters.
As you start living out loud and being bold about the new you, or about pursuing the life you want to live, these people will begin to step forward and get louder. That’s resistance. You are making them uncomfortable because they are not pursuing their dreams and because they believe the doubts you are choosing not to give in to.
Those critics are not getting out of their comfort zone and have no plans to. Does what they say really matter to you? If so, then you will waver, get quieter and soon be paralyzed. Don’t give them that power. This is your life. Is your purpose worth it? I believe so.
You are worth it. You were created to do big things. You were created to make a huge impact and to leave a legacy with this one and only life you have. I am going to tell you it is not easy, but it is worth the fight. It is worth the push, the extra effort and the time to become the best you and to fulfill your God given destiny.
You and you alone are your biggest obstacle, but remember the obstacle is the way. YOU ARE THE WAY. We must be committed not just to do the work, but also to do the heart work. The heart work really is the hard work. It is getting into the nitty gritty of your thoughts and habits that nobody else knows.
We can look real good on the outside. We can show up and impress everyone around us. But if we don’t internally figure out how to work through our need to please, our doubt, fear, insecurity, disappointment, etc. then we will not get where we feel God wants us to go.
Our purposes are just too important to not work through our issues. What I am supposed to do with my one and only life and how I am called to awaken and inspire others to discover and pursue their purpose… it’s too important for me to not work through my stuff. If I opt out of the process then it won’t only cost me, but it will cost all of the people God intended me to impact.
Resistance is going to come. Setbacks are going to come. May we choose to lean in and grow, to fight and press onward. What you are called to do is worth it. And so are the people that are on the other side of your obedience.
Don’t let anyone or anything hold you back. You do you.
Remember “when you shine bright you give permission for everyone else to do the same”.