Quit Playing Small
I have a secret to admit, I’ve played small in a lot of areas of my life. Sure, I’ve taken some risks but they’ve been very calculated. I’ve preferred to cautiously tiptoe into the deep end instead of diving in and if I’m honest the reason why has been – fear.
In the past, I’ve struggled with making decisions because I haven’t wanted to make a decision I would regret. So instead of making a choice, I've just done nothing. The problem though is not making a decision is a decision.
It’s a decision to stay in a place of indecision which frankly stinks.
Currently, I work as a video editor for a world-wide ministry. I love my job. I get to travel and tell stories that are meaningful. However, I almost missed out on this amazing opportunity by not applying for the position because I thought I was not good enough. For one month, I stalled because I was afraid to decide. I felt God encouraging me to apply but I ignored his prompting and the position was taken. About a month later, a similar position was posted and this time I realized I better go for it. Now more than two years later, I’m still glad I did.
We Can Choose
Sometimes we are so scared to decide, we say we are just “waiting on the Lord.” When really God is waiting on us. He is waiting for us to stop being passive and to start using the wisdom He has given us to decide. During a certain season in my life, I was praying to God asking him for a "yes" or "no" about a step I was considering taking. Instead of giving me a “yes” or “no” God led me to this verse.
What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
– Job 22:28 (NIV)
Notice the light shines bringing clarity after the decision is made. God has given us practical wisdom and the Holy Spirit and He delights in us deciding a matter. He is ready to do incredible things in our lives but we are the ones that limit Him by our small thinking.
In Psalm 78:40-41, we see the Israelites in the desert limited what God could do for them by their disbelief.
How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. (NKJV)
Have you been limiting God in your own life by thinking small? Have you allowed fear to get in your way?
We Can Determine Our Outcome
Often, we stop short of all God has for us. There is an example of this in the Bible. In 2 Kings, Jehoash King of Israel is visited by Elisha who gives him special instructions.
And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.”
- 2 Kings 13:15-17 (NKJV)
Elisha was giving a word to the king that the arrows were indicative of victory and they must strike their enemies. Yet, the king acted hesitatingly on the next instructions he was given.
Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”- 2 Kings 13:18-19 (NKJV)
Jehoash’s victory was determined by what he saw for himself. He probably felt silly taking arrows and striking the ground. Maybe he thought three would be enough, but whatever reason he had for stopping he stopped short of what he could have had. He played small.
Don’t make this same mistake. God wants to do more in your life than you could ever imagine. Your only job is just to believe him.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV)
People usually stop there when reading this verse but look at what the continuation of this verse says: according to the power that works in usWe have a choice in the matter of whether we will limit God by playing small or whether we will show up and be our full authentic selves.
Spend time with the Lord today and ask him these questions:
In what areas of my life have I been playing small?
Have I limited you in any areas of life with my thinking?
What are the areas in my life where I am not completely trusting you?
God wants to speak to you and if you ask him these questions he will answer. Let’s live courageous lives and step into everything that God has for us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sharon Stark is the founder and creator of You Are a Creative Force, a blog empowering women to walk in their God-given identity and live out their creative dreams. She enjoys all types of creative outlets including writing, dancing, performing, and public speaking. In 2016, she became a licensed minister through Charis Bible College and currently works as a creative editor telling stories for a world-wide ministry.