God does not complicate things, we do.
Overthinking and analyzing something can make us look really ‘smart’ sometimes.
We live in a world overflowing with information. The more information we gather, the more control we ‘feel’ we have. But, if we’re researching, planning, analyzing, and preparing, we never actually have to take that scary step of moving forward.
I’ve seen this countless times while coaching people. Many dream of starting a podcast, launching a business, writing a book, or pursuing a calling God has placed on their heart. Yet they convince themselves they can’t begin until the website is perfect, the logo is finished, the timing is right, and every possible question has been answered. Our primal brain is always trying to protect us and constantly battling our higher brain (neocortex). The problem is our primal brain will never seek to dream, innovate, create or seek to evolve---it only wants to protect you.
The truth is that protection is there because we are making decisions out of fear.
I can’t tell you how many times fear has shown up whenever I was about to start a new project or take a step of faith (like moving to another country to live or birth my child at home with no Doctor). I would pray about something, feel peace, and then later that night lie awake thinking:
“What about this?”
“What if that happens?”
“What if I fail or what if me or someone dies?”
“What if I heard God wrong?”
Before long, I would be questioning everything and sometimes even considering walking away entirely.
There were many things I started and never finished because I listened to fear more than faith.
Our fear of potential failure often keeps us from pursuing the very things God has called us to do.
The interesting thing is that overcomplicating and overanalyzing things often feels wise, but many times it is simply our desire to be in control. It becomes a safety blanket. We tell ourselves we are doing our due diligence, but underneath it all we are trying to eliminate uncertainty. If you live by faith you are going to have some uncertainty. In my years of living they rarely travel together.
Throughout Scripture, God did not ever really give people the entire roadmap. He gave them the next step.
When God called Abraham, He didn’t show him every detail of the journey. When Jesus called the disciples, He didn’t hand them a five-year strategic plan. He simply said, “Follow Me.”
Fear says, “Figure everything out first, then you can follow.”
Faith says, “Just take the next step, and keep going.”
Now a days I tell people, “all lights are green until they are red”.
Our minds are powerful gifts from God, but they can also become prisons when we allow fear to sit on the throne. We can spend so much time trying to protect ourselves from failure that we accidentally protect ourselves from growth and purpose.
The enemy loves paralysis. God invites us to progress.
One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3:5-6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Notice that Scripture doesn’t say, “Figure everything out.” It says, “Trust.”
When you find yourself spiraling in endless thoughts, ask yourself a simple question:
“What is the next step God is asking me to take?”
Not the next ten steps.
Not the entire plan.
Just the next step.
God does not complicate situations—we do. God is often far simpler than we expect. He asks us to trust Him, take the next step, and leave the rest of today and tomorrow in His hands.
The more we try to control every outcome, the more anxious we become. The more we surrender control to God, the more peace we experience.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is stop overthinking, trust God with the unknown, and take just another tiny faithful step.
This is excellent Nicole. Control and perfectionism can be the reasons we overthink. We should not let fear sit on the throne. We need to move forward in faith. Such an important message.