Hello beloved child of God, I hope you’re fine by God’s grace.
In the previous days we talked about thought replacement strategies which you could use to replace negative thoughts, thoughts which don’t line up with Philippians 4:8.
Philippians 4:8 NIV
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
We’ve already learned the following methods:
Today we’re going to learn the method called “Recalculating Risks”
Has the following thing already happened to you?
You’re working hard on something, putting in your energy and doing your best, and suddenly people notice how well you’re doing and they want to promote you by giving you more tasks because they believe that if you could do that you can do even more. They trust you so much that they want to promote you to another level.
It can be at church or at work, where you’ve been volunteering so well that they want to promote you to a leadership position, or it could be even be in your family, where they’re adding more and more to your tasks, responsibilities and leadership position because they believe in you and they believe you’re able.
I guess most people love being promoted, but has it ever happened to you to be scared of being promoted to a greater position? To be afraid of never being enough for that? Of not being ready? Of not being able?
Do you have negative anticipation when people try to promote you or to give you new tasks? Are you afraid of messing up and not being enough?
Are you afraid of not being able to take anything more, and afraid of disappointing those who trust you?
To be honest with you, when something really matters to me, I invest so much in it, but it’s easier for me to do that when nobody notices and when it’s still small. When people start noticing and entrusting more and more to me (especially at church) I feel blessed but at the same time I feel so scared to disappoint them, that when they want to add more to my tasks and give me a leadership position I get so scared “Will I be able to do this?” “What if I’m not ready?” “What if I can’t do this?” “What if I disappoint them?”
I spend so long worrying about it that I even tend to delay it.
Do you relate to that?
This doesn’t apply just to work. There are married couples who feel just okay without children,or with just one child but when they discover they’re pregnant with their first child, or when they’re expecting another baby, they start stressing up and asking “Does God think we’ll be able to handle this?” “What if we mess up?” “What if we aren’t good at parenting?” “What if we’re not enough?”
Anyone can be in such a moment where they wonder “Will I really be able to handle this?” and then they start stressing up.
It also happens with exams. You’ve worked hard through out the school year and had awesome results but when the date of the final exam is approaching you’re so stressed “Will I be able to make it?” “What if I fail?” “What if it doesn’t work?” “Am I really prepared for this?”
These thoughts of negative and scared anticipation poison you and stop you from enjoying the promotion and blessing that God is bringing into your life because you spend more time worrying about “What if it doesn’t work” instead of thanking God for promoting you.
Today, we’re going to learn how to replace such thoughts with the “Recalculating Risks” method.
Example: Recalculating Risks
Janeth serves in the worship team at her church. Taya, the worship team leader and coordinator takes a month off after the birth of her baby. Janeth is given all of Taya’s responsibilities in the worship team while she is absent. She takes all her solos, coordinates the worship team, and assumes extra work without thinking about it. She performs flawlessly and everyone notices that she’s doing a great job leading and coordinating the worship team. After a month, Taya announces that she’s not returning to work. Her husband and her will leave the state and go to another state where they can be close to their parents. Janeth Is now offered Taya’s job. She will now officially be the leader and coordinator of the worship team. Oddly, Janeth now finds herself troubled with fear and anxiety. She predicts that she won’t be able to handle it, she can’t see herself as a leader. Her most malicious thoughts are ” I’m not cut out to handle supervising others, I’m a follower not a leader. I can’t do this. I can’t be the leader. I can’t be the face everyone will see when they talk about our worship team.”
In order to recalculate risk, Janeth has to take the following negative predictions quizz
1. How many times have I predicted this outcome and how many times has it actually happened to me?
There were other challenges in my life which I didn’t think I could do but by God’s grace I made it. I didn’t think I would be able to adapt to living in a new country and starting in a new church but I did. I actually can’t think of times where God led me to something and I failed there.
2. How often does this happen to people I know?
I can’t recall a single instance in our church where someone has been promoted and then fired
3. If someone else made this prediction would I agree?
Not necessarily. I would base my prediction on past performance. I guess mine has been pretty good. Ever since Taya took her maternity leave, I’ve been taking over all her responsibilities in the worship team and there have been no complaints.
4. Am I assuming that this will happen just because I fear that it will, or is there a reasonable probability that it will truly happen?
Of course there’s always a slight probability that I won’t be able to handle it but clearly, I’m making some unwarranted assumptions. After all, I’ve been doing this for one month and by God’s grace everything has been alright. Why would that change?
5. Do I have any experiences from my past which suggest my dire prediction is unlikely to occur?
Again, in the past month I’ve done fine with this. By God’s grace I really haven’t failed at anything here at church.
After answering these questions, Janeth decides to thank God for this leadership position and to act on her recalculated risk by taking the job at church. She finds she actually enjoys the new challenges and the new position as leader. She looks back over her most malicious thought and develops a replacement thought.
Janeth’s replacement thought
While I don’t “feel” like a leader, the evidence says otherwise. I’m capable of doing it because God has called me to it and has equipped me for it.
Isaiah 41:9-10 NIV
I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Exercise : Recalculating Risks
Have you recently found yourself making negative predictions about an upcoming event or a situation?
- Write down your most malicious thought
- Answer the questions above on rethinking negative predictions
- Give thanks to God for the new opportunity He is granting to you
- Act on your recalculated risk by doing the thing you fear (so long as it’s not against God’s Word)
- Write out a replacement thought for your original prediction and use it in similar future situations
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty, I want to live out of thanksgiving and faith, and not out of fear knowing that if You call me to do something You’ve made me able to do it. Thank You Lord for new opportunities in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.
It’s Now Your Turn
Open your exercise book and do your homework.
What’s the thing God is calling you to for which you’re having negative predictions?
Don’t forget to share this blog post on your social media accounts and to invite your friends and family members to join us as we’re waging war against depression. You may save a life by sharing.
If you’ve not done it yet, subscribe to my Newsletter so as not to miss any post on depression and also, make sure to invite anyone whom you know is suffering from depression.
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Invitation
Click here if you’re looking for a church. I recommend Elevation Church to you. A wonderful Christ-centered Church in which you aren’t limited by your location and in which you can see what God can do through you.
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God bless you
Victoria Eyog
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