Someone came up with the clever quote that ended up on a plaque in the store and said, hold on,

I've got to overthink about it. That's funny until it's not. Overthinking keeps us from doing things

that could be beneficial while keeping us trapped in a prison cell of doubt. Whether you're

doubting your abilities or doubting God, overthinking is a real vision killer,

and it feeds on fears and what-ifs. Is overthinking keeping you stuck? Don't overthink that question.

Just answer it honestly.

Thank you for joining Keep the Heart for today's podcast with Francie Taylor.

Francie is an author, teacher, and conference speaker.

Sharing lessons from the Word of God is her passion.

Now, back to today's important study.

The general definition of overthinking is to think about something too much or for too long. Why would we do this? Well, there's lots of reasons, but it's also a learned behavior, so those who came from

families where this was a common practice, they'll be more likely to repeat the habit. Sometimes

it's a fear of failure. Other times it's a fear of not being accepted or not fitting in. Or maybe

we're just afraid to try anything unfamiliar. Is there something you're supposed to be doing,

but you've talked yourself out of trying? You may be a victim of overthinking, and the person

doing this to you is the person in the mirror. Whatever you're putting off, whether it's

sharing the gospel with someone God has put in your path or starting a new ministry

or launching a small business, or you name it. Overthinking will trap you in a loop of second,

third, and forth guessing, keeping you from getting anything done. This is a form of self-inflicted

torment, and unless we face this foe, we'll stay stuck by choice.

Sometimes it's more comfortable not to do something than to step out boldly by faith.

What can we do to stop suffocating ourselves with overthinking?

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