The devil hates you so much as a Christian. But if we are to be honest, he may not always be responsible for some of those setbacks you face. Sometimes, you are simply the one standing in your own way.
I know that hurts, but…
The truth is that many Christians are sabotaging the very prayers they’re believing for. Not on purpose but out of fear, false humility, comparison, or bad theology they picked up along the way.
The supply of the grace of God to us does not completely absolve us of our responsibilities and the corresponding work we need to do in the different areas of life. When we fail to put in this work, then it becomes apparent that we will get in our way as Christians.
So, this blog is for the Christian who’s tired of feeling behind, overlooked, or held back, but can see that the real obstacle isn’t external. It’s internal.
In this post, I’m breaking down four ways you might be standing in your own way and how to finally stop. No fluff. No blame. Just truth, grace, and practical wisdom to help you get out of your own way and into alignment with what God already has for you.
You Build a Tent In Your Comfort Zone While Calling it Surrender
I once knew a lady who was broke and unemployed. She prayed, sang, confessed, and believed God so strongly for a job.
Well, being the problem solver I am, I offered her a space to start transacting with a skill she already had – for free. It was in such an ideal location that she could easily gather high-paying clients with absolutely zero competition.
Her response? She’d get back to me – even though she never did.
Almost at the same time, someone else suggested she get out of her house and use another skill she had to build a little income source. Well, her excuse for not liking that suggestion was that she had never sold anything in public before.
When I eventually spoke to her after sometime, her excuse for not making any move was that she was trusting God for a hard-to-reach job in an industry where even experienced professionals struggled for slots. She had zero experience here.
Okay, I suggested she try to volunteer in that industry to gain enough experience to be paid what she desired. However, she was adamant and still hoped for a ‘miracle’ so she could start earning big right away.
Three to four years later, she couldn’t even get a foot into that industry. Even with those skills she had, she still kept herself indoors with little to no clients – and still very little income.
Please note that this person wasn’t a bad person at all. She was a good Christian, faithful in church and all.
Someone would look at her and wonder why God has refused to bless her. But the truth is that this lady insisted on standing in her own way by building a tent in her comfort zone.
She dreaded anything that was not what she was used to – sitting cozy and comfy at home – while expecting God to work something from the blues.
Hold on, before you judge her, you might be doing just the same thing. Yours may be in a pretty seemingly insignificant area of life.
You might be choosing a tiny bit more comfort in an area of your life instead of launching out in faith. But you’re calling it surrender or ‘waiting for God’s timing.’
God is sitting patiently, waiting for you to get up, lay hold of faith, and use the gifts He has placed in you. Unfortunately, you’re also sitting, trusting that God would make a way when you’re not willing to lift a finger.
Please understand that nobody ever achieves greatness doing the familiar or comfortable. So, don’t dread that stretch. That’s where your growth would emerge. That’s where you’ll be refined and made fit to fulfill your divine destiny.
Thus also, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:17
You Swathe Mediocrity in Spirituality
When you consistently make ‘spiritual’ justifications for not being excellent as a person, then you’re likely standing in your own way.
We are spiritual beings, no doubt about that. But we live in a physical world. And in this world, there are universal principles that govern the world.
Even God doesn’t break these principles – except on very rare occasions – because He put them in place for order.
One way you may be practicing mediocrity and standing in your own way is by not building yourself or learning basic human skills.
Instead of leading with excellence, you hide under religion to indulge in mediocrity. Instead of making ample room for rest, healing, and continuous spiritual growth, you adorn spiritual malnourishment with religious speech and activities.
Maybe yours is that you’re stuck in the web of procrastination, but you prefer to believe you’re waiting on the Lord to launch out.
Or you churn out poorly done work or never prepare appropriately for the important stuff in life, all in the name of the Holy Spirit will lead you.
Then, my dear, you’re standing in your way. How about you prepare and do your best and let the Holy Spirit add to that?
Choose to be excellent in everything you do because our God is a God of excellence.
You’re Afraid of Being Seen (So You Hide Behind ‘Humility’)
Many Christians don’t need new prayer points or more extended hours of prayer. What they need is a redefinition of their idea of humility. Otherwise, they will remain the stumbling block on their own path to greatness.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:14
Do you know what it means to have the Spirit of the God who made heaven and earth dwell in you? You are literally supposed to be the light on a hill. You’re supposed to be putting the power and wisdom of God on full display for all to see.
When you resort to doing otherwise – lying low and hiding the potential God has placed in you – that is not humility. It is full-fledged pride!
Do you avoid growth or higher pursuits while covering it with ‘not wanting to be worldly?’ You’re standing in your way because God wants you to fly high and parade His grace in the process.
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Romans 12:3
It is no joke that God has placed those deposits, skills, gifts, and grace He has in you. You are to shine them in the world as the light you are. You are to provide solutions to your world. Get into those rooms. Grab those opportunities. Build that community. Start that mentorship. That is true humility – being the responsible steward God wants you to be.
When you choose to hide yourself in the name of ‘needing more preparation’ or ‘staying humble,’ you mock God and indirectly tell Him the things He did in you are a waste of time. And you’ll keep standing in your way of becoming who God has called you to be.
Maybe your holding back isn’t because you’re trying to be humble but because you’re ashamed. Ashamed of your past or your mistakes. And so you shrink in so the world does not uncover your error. You’re standing in your own way!
No matter how terrible your past looks, God wants you to know that is the reason He sent His Only Son to the cross so that you will be free and unashamed to shine your light.
I want you to know that there is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. So, stop hiding yourself!
You Compare Your Life with others
Comparison, they say, is the thief of joy.
However, I am telling you that comparison will consume your entire life if you let it.
If you find yourself consistently caught in the trap of comparing your life and circumstances with those of other people or what society demands, it means you’re standing in your own way. You cannot truly move forward doing that.
The truth is that when you always focus on what is happening in other people’s lives (so you can weigh them against yours), you steal from the time and energy you should use to move yourself forward.
You can’t stay excellent at who God has called you to be if you’re too busy taking stock of other people’s lives.
So, put down your phone or delete those apps if you need to. Go to God in prayer and ask Him to open your eyes to what He is doing and wants to do in your life.
Then, deliberately set out time every day to work on what God is doing in your life.
As a matter of fact, the only comparison you should be doing that wouldn’t be pitting you against yourself is to compare where you currently are to where God wants you to be. And that’s on a period!
Conclusion
Are you guilty of any of these? Are you standing in your own way as a child of God and hoping deliverance would come from afar?
What steps will you be taking henceforth to ensure that you get out of your way and become who God has called you to be?
