(This is Part 3 in a 5 part series on How to Chase Lions… Links are below)

He didn’t let her lack of enthusiasm get in the way of celebrating all God had done.

Far from it.

It says in the Bible, as the ark was entering the City of David, Michal, wife of David, saw him dancing and celebrating, and despised him in her heart (1 Chronicles 15:29).

At this point He could have sat down, worried about his non-supportive wife, wondered how to change her mind, or maybe how he could change, but instead he kept dancing. He followed God’s call of joy in his heart.

Can you imagine what would have been different had he not?

What would your response have been?

At one point in my life, I don’t know that I would have kept dancing. Her lack of belief would have made me doubt myself. And doubt is heavy… too heavy to dance under. So, how do we keep dancing?

I believe we get our answer from what David did next.

He surrounded himself with the right people – 10 Levites (one of whom was Mr. Lion Chaser himself, Benaiah – love that!) – who were tasked with praying, giving thanks and praising the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:4-5)

I remember the morning I sat in front of my computer, trying to get the email sent. Only a few lines, to request a meeting with an uplifting, supportive woman from my church.

I didn’t know it at the time, but these meetings would prove to be huge in my spiritual growth. I can tell you who did know that. The enemy.

I sat, typing and erasing for the longest time, listening to every possible lie he could throw at me. I would give up, walk away from the computer, tell myself it was ridiculous. I was in Bible study, I was reading my Bible daily, I didn’t have a counseling need, so why was I contacting her…wasn’t this wasting her time? I’d start to type the email… the questions would come and I would erase.

But something kept me from closing that computer and walking away from that email for good.

God wouldn’t let me.

I finally got it sent. We started meeting, and the growth that came from that time was incredible. I now see why the enemy was working so hard.

Around the same time, I decided to join a group of praying moms. Through that, God brought another dear woman into my life, who became a spiritual mentor to me. Because of a deep fear I had of praying out loud, it took a long time till I could say I looked forward to the meetings. I often think of all I would have lost out on had I never joined.

Can’t you just see the enemy at work?

What is it that fear is keeping you from right now? Joining the choir? MOPS? Asking someone to lunch? It could be that your future mentor is at that very place. You never know how or who you might meet. What is the enemy trying to convince you is a waste of time? The things he works the hardest at keeping us away from, are sometimes the places healing can be found… and that, in turn, enables us to help others.

Surrounded by their support, I was able to grow in ways I never could have otherwise. What put that growth into action was a paid life coach. Yep. That got me in gear.

Suddenly taking down those lions wasn’t just something I knew God was calling me to do one day. That one day became the here and now. My whole mind set changed and I’m not gal who just up and changes. I like to keep my mind set just like it is, thank you very much (even if it’s not working so well).

Keep these in mind:

1.) Be proactive. Your support group might not fall into your lap. Be brave and send those emails. Whatever you do, don’t close your computer.

2.) Don’t listen to the enemy and no matter what, don’t believe him. He will try all manner of non-sense. You can’t take down lions and listen to him at the same time.

3.) Your support team could come from surprising places... and likely not all places you’ve thought of. (You might even consider paying for a coach!)

Do not talk yourself out of the importance of this. It might seem like you can do it alone, but you need people… specific support-givers… around you when you’re bringing down those beasts. You can do this.

Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances. —Proverbs 11:14, The Message

“When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.” —1 Samuel 17:34-35, NIV (David… speaking of his own lion chasing!)

This post is part of a 5 part series – here are the links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5

*This article was originally written/published by the author under the title “Why You Need Support – Chasing Lions Part 3.”