Overcoming Challenges

When things begin to get difficult, it often feels like it’s coming from all directions. We see doors shut, an appliance breaks, someone gets sick, bills mount, relationships are strained, and we start feeling overwhelmed. We reach a breaking point and want to escape, avoid, run away, and hide. The pressure becomes too much.

Our natural defense causes us to avoid this discomfort, and it becomes a coping habit. We feel like we don’t have the energy to face things or tackle problems one after the other. This coping habit then infiltrates our creative process. The paint isn’t dry, the colors are muddy, we lose our drawing, and we don’t know how to fix our painting.

The fear of "this painting is a flop" sets in, and we feel overwhelmed again, so we avoid to cope. We distract ourselves with everything else we need to do—clean out the closets, organize the garage, wash the car, do some weeding in the yard—anything to avoid going into our studio and facing the messed up, muddy painting we don’t know how to fix.

These challenges are normal and happen most when we are crossing a new threshold of growth. Don’t be alarmed or think something bad is happening when challenges or problems arise. How we deal with challenges is what propels us toward our dreams. Good luck, talent, the easy street, or knowing the "right" people will NOT bring us to our dreams, but the way we navigate challenges WILL.

We need to make “challenge” a positive word in our vocabulary. When we think about a challenge or hear the word, we need to feel excited! Our soul should cry, “Oh yeah, woohoo! Bring it on!”

Challenges will test our mettle and anchor our resolve. We must understand that pain is mandatory and endurance is crucial. Challenges will prove to us that we can endure and live in our strength. Challenges can prove to us that God is real and shines through our weaknesses. Challenges are opportunities to rise above, stick out our chest, flex our biceps, and brace for impact.

When we embrace challenges, long for them, hope for them, and even seek them out, we build up our supernatural edge and gain extreme confidence in conquering the impossible.

What is your challenge? Think about it. Identify it.

Now face it! You are a challenger, a warrior, more than enough, capable, and armed by God with supernatural force and abilities. You are unstoppable. You stand with the king with complete dominion and authority. Who or what could possibly stand against you?

This is your year to shine. This is your time to make big strides forward and reap the benefits of your fierceness and willingness to face challenges. Never again will you shrink back, say “no” to an opportunity, hide or avoid, or put off what you can face today. You are crossing the threshold and improving in every way imaginable. Every moment of your well-fought journey translates into those brushstrokes, inspiring the world who sees them!

Hear from our other INSPIRING artists Ellenor Birch and Jake Dunn, Mastery Program graduates.