Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13b-14
When going through the motions, our life thermostat (see January Faith Blog) will default to a mindset of asking, "Can I?" Which generates doubt, invites fear, and looks for excuses not to attempt something that will help us grow. But if we work to set our thermostats to expand our potential, then our default becomes "How Can I?" Which opens the door to possibility. It identifies barriers and challenges you face and how to overcome them. It assumes there is a way. You just need to discover the way.
"Our limitations are not based on a lack of ability, but a lack of belief.”
-John Maxwell
What you concentrate on, you make reality. Your perception follows your thoughts. What and how you think about yourself will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. So make sure your focus is on overcoming, not what stops you.
To do this, acknowledge the frame of mind or environment you grew up in or still are in. Is it negative? Do you come from a "you can't" or place where the excuses are normal responses to change?
Have perseverance. There will be several challenges or failures along the way, making the
journey messy. Don't stop because It doesn't look like a final product! Brownie batter looks a lot like mud soup when the baker has finished mixing the ingredients and puts it in the oven. The baker only needs to wait and stay focused on the goal. However, while the brownies are in the oven, the baker has to deal with the mess. A lot of work was done, and there is presently no reward for that labor. All that is in front of them is cleaning up. If the baker loses focus by being discouraged by cleaning or distracted with other things, the brownies will be overdone. Or if the baker grows impatient and pulls the brownies out early, they will be underdone. However, there will be a great reward if the baker focuses on the brownies while dealing with life's unpleasantness.
Just because you are in a period of rest/idleness, it isn't a time to allow the thermostat to reset. Think bigger; don't try to keep the status quo; try to increase. Thinking to maintain will not inspire growth or change/expansion. Those you disciple will not have an example to follow if you are not intentionally forging ahead.