Posts Tagged ‘Overcome’

Confessions of a Self-Sabotager

First of all I have to say that the word “Sabotager” is not actually a word. I made it up for the purpose of this blog, so go ahead and add it to your vocabulary. I’m about to get pretty honest with all of you. You know, what they call transparent, so I appreciate it if you keep the snickers and gibes to yourself…

I am a self-sabotager. I sabotage myself. I don’t know why I do this, neither, do I like to think I do it intentionally, but nevertheless, I have to come to realize this is what I do.

Is it who I am? I’m still fighting against that lie because I believe the truth that we are not what we do, rather we are who God says we are. But lately the microscope has zeroed in on my thoughts and actions and I’m realizing there some habits I have that I really don’t like.

I’ll give you a couple examples to clarify any confusion. How do I sabotage myself?

• Keeping a healthy weight and eating right. I’ll do well for about a week, feel good in my clothes, work out 4-5 days a week and be happy. The problem is when I’m happy, I like to celebrate… with food… with bad food and I began to eat unhealthy, stop going to the gym and get mad and depressed with myself for doing it. Self-Sabotage.
• This blog. I’ll get on a streak of about a week of good posts, get lots of response through Twitter and FaceBook, and people telling me how much they enjoy reading, and then I’ll quit. Either I feel like I’ve ran out of things to say, or I just don’t want to take the time to write something, even though I know God has called me to write. Self-Sabotage.

What about you? Do you find yourself sabotaging your progress? I meet with many women about various things in their lives, the biggest being the issue of weight-loss, and they confess to me that they sabotage their progress for no apparent reason.

What is this battle we face? This phenomenon that seems to keep some of us from moving forward? I’m committed to get to the bottom of this, for my sake and the sake of others who find themselves in this same predicament. (For the sake of length of this post, I’ll talk more about the solution for self-sabotagers tomorrow.)

In the meantime, please leave your thoughts in the comments below, and Re-Tweet this post so all can join the conversation.

I read this illustration in a book, so the credit cannot go to me. I think this principal is so important when it comes to overcoming lies and walking in truth:

“When young, {elephants} are attached by heavy chains to large stakes driven deep into the ground. They pull and yank and strain and struggle, but the chain is too strong, the stake too rooted. One day they give up, having learned that they cannot pull free, and from that day forward they can be “chained” with a slender rope. When this enormous animal feels any resistance, though it has the strength to pull the whole circus tent over, it stops trying. Because it believes it cannot, it cannot. “

This is the perfect illustration when it comes to believing lies. Though I would never compare anyone to an elephant, fearing they might take it the wrong way, so many of us are just like them! We believe a lie long enough that eventually we stop trying to break free. We give up, thinking “This is just the way my life is going to be.”

But I want us to understand the truth that we have the power to break free from the “chains” and “stakes” that are holding us down. With the Holy Spirit at work in our lives we have every power and authority to break the holds that are keeping us from moving forward.

So, ask yourself: What lies have I given up fighting against? What truths do I need to remind myself of, so that I do not end up like the elephant?

What is that thing that everyone wants? The thing that makes life bearable. That thing that, once you have it, you know probably won’t stay around for long. It’s elusive. Some people think money can bring it, others swear they’ll never experience it. Many people devote their life to the pursuit of it. Do you have it?

I’m talking about happiness. Happiness defined is: delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing or situation. But what happens if that particular thing or situation is not a happy one? What if it is a hard situation? What if it seems like an impossible situation? Then happiness is gone. Replaced with any number of these atonyms: Sadness, misery, depression, anger, hoplessness, gloomyness and dejection. Have you ever felt any of these emotions?

What if I told you, you didn’t have to feel these things any longer? Even in the midst of impossible circumstances, what if you could overcome those words that describe the frame of mind of so many people today?

You see, happiness is caused by happenings. If a particular happening is happy, then you will be happy. However, likewise, if a particular happening is not happy, what are you left feeling?

Instead, I believe we should focus our energies not on happiness, but on JOY.

Joy has nothing to do with our happenings or circumstances. Joy trancends those things. Joy outlasts. Joy rises above.

So, how do we get joy? Easy. We already have it.

Here’s why that is true. God has given each and every one of us the free gift of grace. We no longer have to answer for our sins. We are saved and covered by the blood of Jesus. For free! If that doesn’t make you want to jump up in down with joy, I don’t know what will!

There is joy in grace. If grace is a free gift, then joy is freely available to anyone.

If we truly believe that, then no matter what circumstance comes our way, we can rise above it. No, our circumstances may not change. They may even get worse before they get better. But even in the midst of what is out of our control, we can control one thing: Our attitude. We can decide to be joyful no matter what life throws our way.

Joy is a choice. Choose joy. It’s free!