Spiritual Sensitivity Training
BONUS: Finishing What You Started
YOU CAN DO THIS!
In ministry, the inability to finish a project is often associated with a need a for healing or supernatural breakthrough. While this can be true, I have found that it is also rooted in decision making and developing new habits in your life. The "JUMPSTART," if you walked through it consistently from start to finish positions you to develop new habits or disciplines. In fact, you received instructions on developing your own personal "JUMPSTART PLAN" to get you where you need to be. One of the most critical purposes of this plan is to help you develop NEW HABITS, NEW DISCIPLINES.
A habit is an acquired, practiced behavior pattern. For example, we teach our children how to get up every morning and prepare for school. We teach ourselves how to go for that morning coffee like clockwork on the way to work or class. Diligent people can develop "habits" for just about anything. That includes a habit for finishing what one starts. It's is easy to gaze at the problem and ponder the solutions, but quite another to get up and do something about it. Trust me, I know this personally.
Most people are not in need of a move of God for this effort. They are, however, in need of consistent acts of obedience. I know that's tough, but it is needed.
Disciplines are sets of rules that we abide by that can change our behavior, and ultimately change our lives for the better. For example, I made up my mind that I would read the Bible every morning for 20 minutes. I needed to put a rule in place that helped nurture my relationship with God. For years I followed this discipline until it became a natural part of my life to a point where I no longer pay attention to it because it is my normal. Disciplines change our thought processes concerning what we do and why we do it. When developing disciplines, it is important to understand WHY we need the discipline in the first place. Prophetic writers need disciplines to break bad habits of abandoning projects when interest is lost or motivation dissipates. Discipline causes us to push forward despite how we feel!
If you are serious about BREAKING THE CYCLE of abandoning your writing projects once they start or beginning a course like this and then lacking the motivation to finish, there are five unavoidable steps you need to take that coincide with prayer and encouragement:
- DECIDE to finish. Your determination decides your success. Period. If you see yourself as failing, you will. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
- Be honest about your bad habits in this area. Identify any obstacles that may prevent your progress. Make a list of all of your worst habits, and then counter them with good habits. For example, I would talk myself out of things. My solution to this was to replace that thought with daily affirmations that "I WOULD FINISH THAT PROJECT!" I would write lying down and almost always fall asleep. This was a bad habit! So, I created a sacred space in which to write. (We've talked about some of these things already. Implement them.)
- Outline the types of disciplines you need in your writing life. For example, I need to free-write at least one paragraph a day pertaining to a chapter of my book. Then schedule the date and times for that over the next three to four months. Don't bend or break that schedule.
- Pay attention to the triggers and the things that cause you to withdraw. With the strength prayer provides, FIGHT THEM! Choose to do what is right despite yourself. Develop PUSH THROUGH. Establishing disciplines will often reveal your hindrances or bring them to the surface. You can have a melt-down once in a while, just quickly overcome it.
- Celebrate your victories EVERY SINGLE week. Never let time pass without rewarding yourself in a healthy way. Listen, you can buy yourself a small gift, write down your accomplishments to document the journey, grab a buddy and go out for a nice dinner, look yourself in the mirror and shout "over and over and over again" that you did it! You could even plan an event around your accomplishment. The point is this: EVERY STEP in the right direction is a big deal for you! It will build your confidence and increase your motivation. There are times when I've celebrated privately because I did not want ANYTHING to discourage me! It is okay to do that until you are ready for the BIG REVEAL!
- Perfect what you have completed. Take the time to PERFECT your finished project once it is completed. Just finishing is a major step, but editing, organizing, preparing that manuscript or writing for its final format SEALS THE DEAL!
YOU. CAN. DO THIS!
The Lord would never have placed it in your hand if you could not. Remember, it is only when we don't try that we fail at the task. FACE YOUR GIANT! (And if you haven't seen the film, you must go watch it!)