How To Deal With Uncertainty
By Zack DeBerry
We’re a month into a new year and many of you may have made some resolutions and have some dreams that you want to fulfill this year. If you’re like me, you may have reached the point where a level of uncertainty has started to creep into your thought process. There are several big goals that I want to accomplish this year, but I have found myself fighting that little voice inside that causes me to doubt myself. Can this really be done? Are you the person to do this? What will happen if this doesn’t work out? These are just a few of the questions that continually roll through my thoughts on a daily basis. So, in the midst of taking bold steps and fighting the voice of doubt in our thoughts, how do we deal with the uncertainty that exists as we take these steps of faith?
Let me start by saying that I am not sure you will ever fully escape uncertainty in your life. This is especially true when you make an attempt to do something big and take steps of faith. I want to be clear about that. If you are after certainty and a sure thing, then you will find it hard to take steps toward the big things in your life. But, I do think there are some things we do in the midst of uncertain times that can keep us calm and focused on taking the next step in our journey. Here are just a few things that have been helping me lately as I try to deal with the doubt and uncertainty in my own life.
Learn to Embrace the Adventure- It is easy for me to feel overwhelmed when all I focus on is the end product. What I have found helpful is to truly begin to embrace the adventure. Remember when you were young and would go exploring just to see where you would end up or what you might find? You didn’t know how things would turn out, but you didn’t hesitate to go and explore. Part of dealing with uncertainty requires that we take this same approach. Don’t think too hard about outcomes, but rather live in the moment of adventure and keep your head up- you never know what you might find or learn along the way.
Ask What’s the Worst that Could Happen?– This might sound crazy because we’re usually taught from an early age to avoid the worst case scenarios of life. However, asking this question at the outset of the big things in your life CAN create a sense of peace. When you start out with this question it allows you to think about the negative possibilities that could happen, and it usually is not as bad as you think. By going down the worst case path you can eliminate some of the anxiety and fear of the unknown when we take big steps of faith.
Realize Who Called You to This Dream- I have a deep belief that God is ultimately in control of my life if I am trying to follow Him and please Him with everything I have and do. This should carry over to the big steps I take in life, but sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that making things work is all up to ME. The best thing I have done recently is to rest in the promise that if God has placed this dream in me, then HE will continue to work in me, through me, and for me. When we reorient our thinking to “it’s not all about me, but about what HE can do through me”, it can free us from doubt and uncertainty in our dreams. You may doubt yourself at times, but as a follower of Jesus Christ, we can never doubt the work that has been accomplished on the cross and the promise that HE cares more about our lives and dreams than we can imagine. Sometimes we need to stop looking all around us and just look up.
When we take steps of faith and dream big dreams in life there will always be a level of uncertainty that comes along with it. It is in how we respond to and deal with that uncertainty that determines whether we move in faith or stand still in fear. As followers of Jesus Christ we should never let fear dictate what we do or how we live our lives. We serve a God who continually breathes life into our soul and whispers “Fear Not” loud enough to overcome any voice of doubt and uncertainty that exists in our minds. So, take the step, embrace the adventure, don’t fear the outcomes, and focus on the God who called you to dream.