Obstacles are like giant rocks between you and your goals. Some of these obstacles are definable, like difficult circumstances, negative people, and your own bad emotions. Others are harder to define. Sometimes you don’t know what’s standing in your way. Maybe all you need is a little more information or one more connection, but you can’t see it. And you can’t see anything changing. You keep throwing yourself against the obstacle over and over again but nothing is happening.
Every obstacle has a breaking point. Like rocks, most obstacles weaken without showing any obvious signs of weakening. But there are signs. Here are signs that you’re about to break through an obstacle:
1. When you’re frustrated.
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Matthew 11:28 - Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
2. When resistance increases. Don’t be afraid of people coming against you.
Isaiah 54:15 “15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.”
People fighting against you are often a sign that you’re headed in the right direction.
3. When they start laughing at you. Job 12: 4 “I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. NIV “"I have become a laughingstock to my friends,..”
Being mocked or feeling like a misfit can make you want to give up. That’s normal. Everyone wants to fit in to some extent. The key is to not let the desire to fit in keep you from having a breakthrough.
4. When people turn their backs on you. Psalms 27:10 “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.”
Isaiah 49:15 “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”
Breakthroughs are life-changing events. Moving forward often means leaving other people behind. When this happens, don’t be surprised if some of these people turn their backs on you. Be forgiving. Because, in a way, you’re turning your back on them by leaving.
5. When you feel like changing your goals. Luke 9: 62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Think of your biggest goal in life as a giant mountain peak. No matter what mountain you’re climbing, there are going to be times when you want to stop and settle before reaching the top. There will also be times when you want to get off the mountain altogether and start climbing one of the prettier mountains next to you. This is normal.
The higher you climb on one mountain, the better you’re able to see all of the other mountains. But that doesn’t mean you should stop climbing the one you’re on. It means you should start climbing harder. Imagine how many other mountains you’ll be able to see (and conquer) once you reach the peak.
6. When it really hurts. Psalms 147:3 “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Breakthroughs are painful. The first person through a wall always gets bloody. Don’t shy away from this pain. Expect it. Invite it. And use it to stay motivated.
Right when it hurts the most is the moment when everything will fall into place.