In her book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, author Sheryl Sandberg shares that Forbes ranked her as the fifth most powerful woman in the world in 2011. Even though she was a CEO at Facebook, she felt embarrassed and self-conscious to be listed with such a powerful group of women. When anyone congratulated her, she told them the list was ridiculous.
Finally, her executive assistant took her aside and told her she was revealing her insecurity by not receiving the acknowledgement graciously. It was a wake-up call for Sandberg to recognize her doubts.
We all face doubts. Whether in the boardroom or on the assembly line, as a stay-at-home Mom or an entrepreneur, we all have feelings of fear and misgiving. Doubt stops us from moving forward and using our talents and strengths to their full potential. Doubt weakens us and takes away our power if we let it.
Here is the good news! Once we admit the doubt, we can begin to change it. We don’t have to be victim to it. We can recognize our fears for what they are, get them under control and take dominion over our own lives. We can build our faith.
As we develop faith we expand our awareness and realize we don’t have to walk the path alone. A necessary step in our spiritual growth is to practice placing faith in trust in God. In Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knows, the door will be opened.”