I remember hearing so many preachers saying things like "God gave me this idea so many years/ months ago, but I'm only just feeling ready to release it."
Sometimes it's about them being told not to release a word until a particular time, but other times they will tell you, they needed to understand it better.
Whilst studying for my MBA, after one of our group meet-ups with some of the other students, my husband said to me, "you were very quiet tonight."
The truth was, I was fretting. I didn't get it.
We were using the tools and theories we'd learned during the two years we were studying to analyse the cultural changes at GE (General Electric) under the hands of Jack Welch.
We were just months away from the final exam - which was based on the case study - and I didn't feel ready.
The more I listened to the others pitch in and analyse, the more I felt I had so much to learn in so little time. So I stayed silent and just listened.
The Day I Got It!
For the exam we were allowed an A4 sheet of paper with any notes we might need for the exam and trust me, I learned to read size 8 font!
My husband and I (yes, we studied together - and even managed to get pregnant by the end of our studies :-)) used our notes sheet to create a grid.
For weeks prior to the exam, completing that grid was our only focus which meant answering past exam papers to help us complete it. And one day it just clicked! I got it.
The only way I can explain it to you is like a child that listens to words over and over and is then is suddenly able to put those words into context. This was me. I suddenly saw the words in picture form and imagined myself inside GE (General Electric) implementing Jack Welch's restructuring of the organisation.
I felt as though I was a part of the management team, but at the same time understood the concerns of those I managed.
Needless to say, I passed the exam and graduated 2 months later, at 5 1/5 months pregnant. Yes, we did have an extension. Don't know what my husband's excuse was, I don't recall him having any morning sickness!! Hehe!
But this wasn't the first time this has happened to me. It was the same with my driving lessons. I failed my driving test the first time and Chris, my boyfriend, now husband, to the rescue! He showed me where I was making a mistake with the clutch when performing a hill start.
In truth, I don't EVER remember my instructor explaining it the way he did. I must have got lucky each time I practiced it with my driving instructor.
The same thing has happened with certain processes in my business. For example writing what seemed to be a simple article. I'd struggle to get my thoughts together or organise the content even though prior to putting finger to keyboard I was ready to preach! 😂
But the one thing I've learned over the past few months in particular, is that we just need to slow it down sometimes and allow things to marinate.
Lessons I Learned From My Kingdom Switch Podcast
When I started focusing on the Kingdom Switch podcast, after the first episode, I didn't record another episode for 4 months!
I kept telling God...
"I know you want me to do this, but I'm not ready. It's not that I don't want to and it's not that I don't know some stuff, but it's just not gelling."
I spent hours, and I mean hours watching Myles Munroe videos, giving myself refreshers on his book, "Rediscovering The Kingdom," reading and listening to Bill Winston's materials on the subject of the Kingdom of God, and whilst I was reading or listening, I understood it. But then trying to convey on paper or talking in a microphone to share with others what I thought I learned, that was a whole "nother" story.
I was so frustrated. And then one day I decided to just let it go. God just had to know my heart, that I wasn't trying to be disobedient, I couldn't be obedient because I didn't know what to do.
Then just like preparing for my MBA exams, one day it just clicked - or at least the foundations of the Kingdom of God did. I wouldn't be so presumptuous to boast that I know it all.
But for me, the 'aha moment' came after months of pondering Matthew Matthew 4:17, "From this time, Jesus began to preach, repent for the Kingdom of God is near."
It was that word "repent" that did it for me.
The word we Christians make seem like punishment.
I realised that when Jesus came on the scene preaching "repent," and His cousin, John, preparing the way for his message, it was a loving invitation.
So what do you do when you know what you want to talk about but it just doesn't seem to gel but you know in your heart of hearts, you have to get that message out there?
This list isn't exhaustive, but let me give you three practical tips to help you understand something you want to teach:
1. Avoid Other People's Interpretation
This was a biggie for me. Although very useful, someone was trying give me their understanding of the meaning of the principles of Kingdom of God.
I didn't understand their concept but for them it was important that I did. Sadly I ended up having to avoid the person because I was getting more confused each time I spoke with them.
They were also very angry. I felt they'd swallowed the "repentance" pill and every time I heard them speak about the Kingdom of God, it was nothing but condemnation. So I passed.
I remember where I was and what I was doing when God told me He wanted me to make the Kingdom of God the basis for my business and ministry. I was reading Myles Munroe's book, Rediscovering The Kingdom at the time. There was no vitriol in God's still small voice.
2. Use Your Imagination
I kept imagining a scene from The Passion of The Christ movie... as Jesus came out of the wilderness looking at the sad shepherds and saying to them, "Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand." He wasn't rebuking them, he was encouraging them!
Once you create a picture in your mind go back and re-read what you've previously read because this time you might get a clearer perspective.
3. Verbalise What You Know
I remember the day my husband gave me a loving but stern talking too about me procrastinating on getting my message about the Kingdom of God out there.
I was scared.
I'd seen other people get trashed because they either didn't quote the scripture correctly or they said something that may have been theologically incorrect (though not evil) or the person reading just disagreed.
And this was when I learned just how horrible Christians can be. Seriously. I'm using the term horrible because the only word I know for horrible, is horrible.
Some of these folk were chewing on bitter lemon for days and then they'd come to spew all over your stuff.
What's so sad is that these folk never even had their own platform. They'd sign up to the platform for the sole purpose of telling you and others where you were in error.
But as my coach told me one day, "you have to learn to have broad shoulders!"
You have to verbalise what you understand and be okay with it not sounding like the teacher you learned it from.
Today, I can tell you... I don't care!
I'm happy to be corrected, and if the correction is valid I can go back and make the correction. But when it just gives people joy to try and trash me, I'ma just gonna leave them to Jesus.
As I tell people, I could believe something this morning and by this afternoon I've had a revelation that changes everything.
So teach what you know using your own personal experience and stories to make it your own, and explain it on the most basic level. You have the rest of your life to learn more so you can go deeper.
Don't let the "know it alls" rush you.
Taking action is important to making improvements but if you refuse to move you're going to miss out on a whole lot of lessons.
And Remember...
You don't have to do this alone!
There are the "know alls" and there are the ones who want to support you on your mission.
This is the reason I created IW Unleashed, the community membership for entrepreneurial women.
It really is a safe place to learn, talk about what you do, connect with like-minded entrepreneurial women and grow your business.
Click here to find out more about our community and see for yourself whether it's a place that could help you grow your business.
I hope to see you there.