Keep Moving!

In the past two blogs, I encouraged you to think small and get started. Great job thinking small and getting started! Now that you have taken these two steps, I want to encourage you to keep moving. Once you have made a decision to think small and get started, it is so important that you keep moving. There are many obstacles you will encounter after you get started that will tempt you to give up. Rather than give up, you must keep moving by overcoming the obstacles you face. Here are six ways to keep moving forward.

1. EXPECT PROBLEMS

Whenever we start something new, there is great excitement about getting started and anticipation about achieving success. With this excitement and anticipation, we get started. However, not long afterwards, obstacles present themselves in the form of problems with the possibility of preventing us from moving forward. Don't be surprised when these problems come. Actually, expect problems to surface. By expecting problems to surface, we will actually have taken a great step to moving forward. By not expecting problems, we may be taken so much by surprise that we can't take that next small step, which is solving the problem preventing us from moving forward.

2. REFUSE TO GET DOWN AND GIVE UP

If we are not expecting to have to solve many problems after we get started, we may be tempted to get down and give up. So often, we misunderstand the will of God as making the path obstacle free. When we encounter obstacles, we mistakenly believe that it must not be God's will. However, many of the people we see in the Bible who were moving forward in God's will had obstacles to overcome. Abraham and Moses were faced with impossible odds and immovable obstacles. Yet, by faith, they did not give up. There were days when they struggled with their faith. We all do. But eventually, both came back to faith. This faith encouraged them not to stay down long or give up all together. This faith will do the same for us and encourage us to KEEP MOVING!.

3. OVERCOME ONE OBSTACLE AT A TIME

Sometimes, we may be faced with several obstacles at once. Together, all of these obstacles may seem like too much too handle. The more focused on the obstacles we become the more frustrated we become. This frustration can lead to fatigue and fear. Fatigue, in that the energy we first possessed in the excitement and anticipation of getting started begins to diminish and weariness becomes dominant. Fear, in that we begin to wonder if what we started can really happen. We begin to doubt ourselves...our decision to even get started. The obstacles begin to overcome us rather than us overcoming the obstacles. So what do we do? Forget about all the obstacles except one. What obstacle are you able to start solving today? Work on that obstacle. Find solutions to that problem. Every problem doesn't have to be solved today. Every obstacle doesn't have to be overcome today. To KEEP MOVING, focus on the one obstacle you are able to work on today and get started overcoming it.

4. ASK FOR HELP

There will be many obstacles along the way we will not have the ability or knowledge to overcome. But someone does. God has gifted people with different talents and abilities. No one is good at everything. But everybody is good at something. Find those people who have the ability and knowledge to help you. Share with them what obstacles you are facing. Share your vision with what you are seeking to accomplish. Ask them for help. There is someone out there who will help you. That one person...one conversation...can take you further than you ever dreamed or imagined by helping you overcome the obstacle you are facing.

5. TRUST GOD

God put that dream in your heart. Trust him to empower you to overcome the obstacle. Trust him to bring the people into your life to help you overcome obstacles. Trust God to work it out.

6. VIEW OBSTACLES AS OPPORTUNITIES

Obstacles tend to get us down. However, they really give us opportunities to grow, develop, learn, and trust God.

From this point on, don't let the obstacles you face keep you from moving forward. Expect obstacles, refuse to give up or get down, overcome one obstacle at a time, ask for help, trust God, and view obstacles as opportunities. As you do, you will overcome the obstacles standing in your way and keep moving each day!