I remember growing up in the 80’s when the athletic shoe company Nike came up with their marketing slogan “Just Do It.” The trademark slogan was coined in 1988 at an agency meeting and who knew it would become so popular!

This slogan became an inspirational marketing tool giving people a sense of empowerment and encouragement like…

“Just do it. Try no matter what, even if it means failing.” …or “No excuses. Just get up and make it happen.”

“Just Do It” sure sounds so simple…but why is it so hard?

Because life is full of challenges… and with these challenges, we can experience various thoughts and emotions that hold us back from pushing through them and consequently moving forward to accomplish the things that God may be calling us to do.

Maybe we are facing challenges in our finances, relationships or health….maybe we struggle with fears, emotional pain, past disappointments, or discouragement…maybe we face personal challenges with self-esteem, self-doubt, or feelings of inadequacy.

So how do we face life’s challenges with the many thoughts and emotions that may stem from these challenges?

There are many biblical examples of people who also faced life’s challenges. Just how did they face these challenges? The answer: They were “Just Doing It…”

They didn’t “Just Do It” period….as the Nike slogan implies. They were “Just Doing It”…

Doing it…afraid.

Doing it …weak.

Doing it… inadequate.

Doing it… hurt emotionally.

Doing it …hurt physically.

Doing it…discouraged.

Doing it…alone.

Doing it…not feeling good enough.

Doing it…with lack of understanding

Doing it…when they didn’t want to.

Doing it…when it wasn’t popular.

“Doing” implies that the action was happening at that moment…at the very moment they were experiencing these thoughts and emotions. They were just doing it…

You may be asking “Doing what?”…What did all these people in the bible do while experiencing these thoughts and emotions?

They were continuing to trust God! …They were continuing to lean on God! …They were continuing to believe God as they took steps forward in and through their life’s challenges…even while they experienced these various thoughts and emotions.

Now, I am not saying it was easy “just doing it”…Actually, I would venture to say it was extremely hard, no doubt!

But, no matter what … they continued to have faith!

Their faith moved them to action…and consequently they were “just doing it” despite their mind (what they thought)…despite their emotions (how they felt)… despite their will (what they really wanted to do)!

Even if your faith today is small in the midst of your challenge…as small as a mustard seed …

Side Note: Did you know a mustard seed is one of the smallest of all seeds and the bible says that you can do great things even when you have mustard seed faith? (see Matt 17:20)

So even if your faith is small…Guess what?!…It is connected to a BIG God…a BIG God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you can think, feel, or imagine!

I love this faith scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:7 which says…

For we live by faith, not by sight. NIV

Not only did these individuals in the bible “live by faith, not by sight” but they also lived by faith, not by their thoughts, not by their feelings, not by their circumstances, not by their challenges.

They were pushing through… how they thought, whether it made sense or didn’t make sense…how they felt, emotionally or physically … and what they really wanted to do or not do…pushing through and “just doing it!”

What challenges are you facing in your life today?

What is God asking you to do? What circumstance is God asking you to push through?

What is holding you back from “just doing it”?

Are you afraid?

God told Abram to leave his home, his family and everything that was familiar and comfortable and to head out to an unknown destination. Seriously? Wouldn’t you be afraid? I know I would and not something I would embrace, that’s for sure!!

Well, this is precisely the challenge Abram faced…and it frightened him. But God’s words to him were, “Do not be afraid.”

After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Genesis 15:1 NIV

God blessed Abraham and made him the father of many nations as a result of Abraham doing it …afraid!

Do you feel weak?

God called Gideon to be Israel’s deliverer by defeating the Midianite army. When Gideon was first called, he felt weak, insignificant, and not qualified.

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” Judges 6:15 NLT

Gideon was focused on his circumstances and his limitations, but God was focused on what He could do through Gideon. Gideon felt weak but He relied on God’s strength in the midst of his weakness…and eventually defeated the 135,000 soldiers of the Midianite army with only 300 men. God gave him the victory as a result of Gideon doing it… weak!

Do you feel inadequate?

God called Moses to rescue the Israelites from the Egyptians and bring them into the Promised Land.  Moses made excuses because he felt inadequate.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11 NIV

When God asked Moses to go to Pharaoh, we see again Moses’ feelings of inadequacy because he had a speech impairment.

But Moses pleaded with the LORD, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Exodus 4:10 NLT

Although Moses never entered the Promised Land himself, God did guide him as he led the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt…and it was a result of Moses doing it…while feeling inadequate!

These are just a few examples … So who else was “just doing it’? These individuals below…you can check their challenges out in greater depth for yourself!

Mary Jesus’ mother was “just doing it”…when it hurt emotionally. Oh my goodness! I can’t imagine the hurt she experienced watching her son die on the cross! It brings tears to my eyes!

Paul was “just doing it”… when it hurt physically. (The bible states that Paul had a “thorn” in his flesh which some commentaries believe was Paul suffering from physical pain.).

Joshua was ‘just doing it”…discouraged.

Elijah was “just doing it”…alone.

Leah was “just doing it”…when she didn’t feel good enough.

Job was “just doing it”… with lack of understanding.

Jonah was “just doing it” (eventually)…when he didn’t want to.

Noah was “just doing it”…when it wasn’t popular.

These individuals in the bible were not perfect…they were far from it! They were people just like you and me. They were people with feelings and thoughts that could have easily stopped them from moving through their challenges and receiving the blessings that God had for them.

My point is that we are going to have feelings and thoughts that stem from our difficult circumstances but we can still push through while we are experiencing them.

It certainly isn’t easy…but we don’t need to wait until we aren’t afraid, we aren’t weak, or we don’t feel inadequate to push through and trust that God will see us through! God will not only meet us exactly where we are at in our challenges but He will also go ahead of us and pull us through as we are pushing through! He will help us move forward to accomplish the things we are called to do.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

These individuals in the bible and many others received great blessings and accomplished great things because they were “just doing it!”  If God did it for them, he certainly will do it for you!

Reflection Points:

1)      What challenges are you facing in your life today? What thoughts and feelings do they produce?

2)      What is God asking you to do today? What circumstance is God asking you to push through today?

3)      Are these challenges holding you back from “just doing it” and moving forward?

Action Points:

1)      Pray for God’s strength to help you move forward despite your thoughts and emotions that are holding you back.

2)      Surrender your mind, emotions, and will to God and lean on Him to push through your challenges.

3)      Review the individuals in the bible listed above who were “just doing it” while they experienced various thoughts and emotions.  This will encourage you!

4)      Read God’s word and fill yourself with faith scriptures.

5)      Know that God wants you to move forward and ahead of your challenges to accomplish great things for Him and others. He will pull you through as you push through!