The limiting beliefs that we carry in our life script can hold us back. Let’s apply this concept to the people of Israel. The Israelite men who left Egypt had been born into slavery, after generations of their people living in slavery. Can you imagine the life script that the Israelites had when they left Egypt? The limiting beliefs that did not allow them to achieve the dream of entering the Promised Land?
Limiting beliefs that can sabotage us
When the twelve spies returned from inspecting the Promised Land, ten of them reported: “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are” (Numbers 13:31, NIV). They also described themselves as feeling like grasshoppers next to the giants they saw among the Canaanites (Numbers 13:33). It seems to me that their words reflect the limiting beliefs they carried: a life script loaded with fear and low self-esteem. You know the results. That generation ended its days in the desert, only steps away from its dream (Numbers 14).
On the other hand, Joshua and Caleb saw things differently. It seems they had grown and were no longer letting a slave’s script rule them. They had seen the hand of God guiding their steps, they believed in His promises, and they paid attention to His Word. They said the land was “exceedingly good” and that if the Lord was pleased with them, He would lead them into it (Numbers 14:7-8).
Although they were born in slavery, they decided not to let their past decide their fate. They rose to rewrite their life script, replacing the limiting beliefs with which they were born with trust in what God had said.
What are the limiting beliefs that are sabotaging your life?
Maybe you are telling yourself:
- I have no money to achieve what I want.
- Changing my current situation is not that easy.
- I wish I could change my life, but it is impossible now.
- I am afraid of making a mistake when making this decision.
- In life, everything is a matter of luck.
Some limits are real: money, health, family responsibilities, and unfair barriers are not just thoughts. A limiting belief becomes a problem when it convinces us that nothing can be done, or keeps us from taking the steps that are possible.
It may not be your fault that you have not yet achieved what you want for your life. Sometimes the obstacle is circumstances, and sometimes it is a belief you picked up long ago and have never questioned. Naming it is the first step.
So, I invite you not to let your limiting beliefs choose for you. Trust God. I believe He has good purposes for you, as He did for the people of Israel, and that there is ground He wants you to walk in. Do not stay at the border because of fear.
Scripture offers many words of encouragement for moments like this, such as Philippians 4:13, Psalm 37:4, Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 40:31, Philippians 4:19, and Romans 8:37. Read them in context. “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13, NIV) was written about learning to be content in every circumstance. These are promises of God’s presence and care, not guarantees that every wish will be granted.
Trust God and begin to rewrite your life script with the truth about who you are in Him.
If you often feel hopeless, as if nothing will ever change, this may be more than a limiting belief. It can be a sign of depression or deep exhaustion, and it deserves care from a professional and not only a change in thinking.
What belief about yourself would you like to question first, and who could help you take the next step?
Would you like to talk with a professional? Call (407) 559-7093 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern) or find professional help here. For general questions that are not an emergency, write to drduany@zodugroup.com. Please do not send health information by email.
If you are in crisis or thinking about hurting yourself, do not wait. Call or text 988 (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24 hours a day, free and confidential). If there is immediate danger, call 911.
This article is for education only. It does not offer diagnosis or personal advice, does not replace evaluation or treatment by a health professional, and reading it or writing to us through this site does not create a therapeutic or pastoral counseling relationship. This site is not an emergency service and is not monitored continuously: do not send health information through comments or public forms. The author is a licensed psychotherapist and pastor, and is part of ZODU.
Sources
- Numbers 13:31 and Philippians 4:13, New International Version (BibleGateway). Numbers 13:30-33 and 14:6-9 were consulted in the same version.
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