5 Reasons NOT to Invest in Yourself
Investing in yourself is BOLD ... and scary!
Think about it, when you choose to invest in yourself you are making a declaration that you:
TRUST YOURSELF
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF AND YOUR MISSION
No pressure, am I right?
Investing in yourself is scary because it sounds like a pursuit you do in your own strength. What if we approached our self-investment through the lens of faith? Jesus wants us to invest in ourselves SO THAT He can come alongside us to reveal and draw out the beauty of who He created us to become.
The truth is, the hardest part of this journey is to take the first step. Today, I want to challenge us with 5 reasons we are using as excuses not to invest in ourselves, and see what God has to say.
“I don’t have clarity.” “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” —Proverbs 16:9 Being a beginner is hard. Being a beginner in the wild of uncertainty can be downright frightening, and so we often tote the excuse that we are “waiting on God” to clear the path for us. Our passage above paints a different picture. God challenges us to make a move. In her book Ministry Chick, author Melissa Mashburn challenges female leaders to “Take your step”—whatever that may be. When we partner with God in our work we will constantly be challenged to act in obedience. Sometimes that looks like taking the first step into the arena, and God equipping you with what you need to get the job done.
“I don’t have time.” “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil.” —Ephesians 5:15-16 Time is a precious resource and for some reason we can’t seem to get enough of it. The hard truth of the matter is that we are all given 24 hours each day. How are you investing your time? Life complicates how we spend our time only if we allow it to. Paul is challenging us to be intentional with the time we are given each day. Investing in yourself will not magically happen—you have to make it a priority in your schedule. If your schedule is full, with no room to breathe, it might be time for you to sit down with your calendar and simplify it. Invite God into the process and allow Him to guide you.
“I don’t know what resources are best.” “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” —Proverbs 27:9 Leaders know a key component to growth is the resource of community. If the reason you are choosing not to invest in yourself is because you don’t know where to start, it may be time for you to consider the resource of WHO you know and WHAT they know. The Internet is a wide landscape of opportunity to discover all the events, books, webinars, workshops, trainings—you name it! That can be overwhelming to navigate on your own. Seek earnest counsel from your people, build a support community, and embrace that sweet life.
“I don’t have money.” “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” —Hebrews 13:5 Finances have a way of being an “end-all” for our leadership pursuits, but it doesn’t have to be. If God has called you to it He will bring you through it. I’m not saying you need to go into debt in order to invest in yourself and grow as a leader. When finances become a barrier then it may be time to think outside the box to consider other feasible options. Better yet, talk to God about this barrier and watch Him work out the details for you. You will be astonished.
“I don’t believe I can make a difference.” “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.” —1 Corinthians 12:22-23a It’s way easier to hide our leadership. We all have our reasons to not take our step. Whether it’s imposter syndrome or feeling ill-equipped or weak let 1 Corinthians be our reminder that we are part of the body of Christ and we have an important part to play. THE CHURCH needs you to take the step and invest in yourself because you are indispensable to the Kingdom of God.
There are a plethora of reasons not to invest in ourselves. When we choose to make excuses and hide we are choosing to be led by fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
Sister you were made for more. It’s time to take ownership of your leadership! For more encouragement to invest in your leadership so you can confidently take your step, join us at the BOLDLY CONFERENCE happening this Friday, October 21st! We’d love to see you there!
And check out Melissa Mashburn’s latest book Ministry Chick: Find your community, own your leadership, take your step!