How Can I Build Confidence to Move Forward?

I had a difficult decision I was struggling with last month. I kept spinning my wheels going round and round trying to make a decision about moving forward. I kept lamenting: “How can I build confidence in making this decision?” I was stuck in this cycle for over 2 months. I’d been actively praying for direction, and little things had happened to show me I was on track.

Then, I put myself in a new situation and decided it was time to put this to rest and make a decision. It was costing me too much energy to continue in this indecision. This week I want to share my journey of how I was able to step into a choice that is leading me closer to my life purpose.

I’ve felt very strongly over this past year that I need to reach out to more women with my message of how to have more balance and margin in your life so you can focus on what’s truly important. I’d done a fine job of doing the dance of two steps forward, one step back and then one step forward, two steps back all year due to fear. I was done with it and had found a mentor I wanted to hire for next year. I’d done a lot of research (as is my way), but wasn’t willing to commit because working with him is expensive and the cost scared me.

You see, while I like to think of myself as having a strong faith, when it comes down to things that scare me, I want to have full assurance that the outcome is going to be ok before I step forward. But ladies, that’s not how faith works!!! In fact, that’s not faith at all!

There are no guarantees that our marriage will turn out ok. There are no guarantees that our children will be healthy. There are no guarantees that we have another day after this one. Fretting and worrying about those things; wanting complete assurance isn’t the type of life God calls us toward. He calls us to stay close, follow His lead and step forward in faith!

So, I’d stayed close for months. I’d earnestly been praying about this decision. I begged for “clear direction” and had never received a “No”. But I’d never received a “Yes” either. Let’s be real, that’s what I was looking for!!

Then a series of events happened within a 2 day period that allowed me to know I was being “led”. In rapid succession, at the conference I was at last month, I “ran” into 4 different women who had worked with this mentor. I didn’t seek them out. Basically, they just fell in my lap in the craziest of ways that by the 4th one I just had to start laughing because it was ridiculous.

I did my due diligence and asked all of them what they liked, and what they got out of it. All of them specifically asked me what I was hoping to accomplish and every last one of them said without a doubt, “You’ll get what you’re looking for. You absolutely should work with him.” While that helped, it still left me with having to make the decision.

Has this ever happened to you? Where your soul feels drawn toward something, but you hold back out of fear? God is a gentleman. He knows you intimately and knows what you need in order to move forward in the direction He’s always trying to show you the right path for your life. I tend to research things to death. So what did He do? He placed 4 women in front of me to research!!!

The key is in being willing to actively look for the confirmations (whether they are “yes” or “no”). They can come from anywhere; random conversations, nature, something you hear on the radio or read in a book! But you have to be open to receiving them.

So, what did I do? The morning of the final day of the conference, I put all of this together and received the gift God had given me by allowing me to meet these women. I accepted that He’d answered my prayer. He’d made it clear that I was to step forward in this decision. Even though it scared me to death and I cried a lot (just out of fear), my husband and I agreed. So I stepped up and signed on to work with this mentor because I have the confidence this is the next step toward my life purpose of bringing my message to more women.

Now here’s your Vibrantly Live challenge: How are you stepping outside your comfort zone to live life on purpose? Have you been asking “How can I build confidence in knowing which way to go?” Stick close, by praying through your questions and desires. Then live your life in a way that allows you to be open to the confirmations all around you. Trust that God knows you intimately and will point out the way. And once you see it, don’t be afraid – step forward.

Be sure to share how you’ve seen confirmations in your life. Until next time – get out there and vibrantly live! Bye!