Stop Overthinking in Your Life

Send us a text

Ever find yourself tangled in analysis, trying to decode every instruction and intention before taking action? Join me, Shontra Powell, as I navigate through Mark 8:15-21 from the New King James Version of the Bible, where Jesus’s interaction with his disciples offers a profound lesson in trust and faith. Through a personal lens, I share how this passage challenges our habitual reasoning tendencies and invites us to embrace the simplicity of divine guidance without overthinking. This episode resonates deeply with those of us who are accustomed to dissecting every detail, offering a fresh perspective on the value of surrendering to faith and trusting a wisdom that surpasses our understanding.

In this reflection, we explore the significance of Jesus's questions to his disciples, urging them—and us—to recall past personal miracles (indescribable and undeniable events) and trust in the process. I reflect on my own journey of moving from constant analysis to a place of obedience and faith, highlighting the humbling realization that not every instruction requires our full comprehension, just our trust. For anyone who identifies as a critical thinker, this discussion is a call to action to step back, let go of the need to reason everything, and find peace in simply following divine instruction. 

This is applicable in our personal and professional journey, as we are called and led. Tune in for a thought-provoking and engaging conversation that encourages us to let go and fully embrace faith.

Drive, Ambition, Doing, Leading, Creating... all good until we forget about our own self-care. This Village of All-Stars pays it forward with transparency about  misses and celebration in winning. We cover many topics and keep it 100. We are Proven Not Perfect™️
https://www.provennotperfect.com

Follow me on Instagram at: shontrapowell_provennotperfect
Check out Proven Not Perfect ™️ YouTube Channel as well. Join the community for ideas and events at www.provennotperfect.com.

I'd love to hear what you think!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, proven Not Perfect.
This is Chantrapal.
I wanted to come on here andshare with you, as I do when I
have my Proven Not Perfect inbrief moments.
I wanted to share with yousomething that I'm reading in
the Bible right now and you canpull out yours.
I'm looking in the New KingJames Version, but you know what

(00:23):
?
I've actually been enjoying theESV version as well.
I'm really exploring thedifferent versions, not sort of
venturing too far out.
Message is very interesting.
You know long viewpoint, butanyway, for today, this is the
new King James version.
So I'm in this season where I'mreally really really focused on

(00:48):
the relationship that I havewith Jesus and before you can
have a relationship with anyone,whether that is, you know God
of our life, jesus, or you knowa human being on earth right,
you have to seek to understand,and part of that seeking to

(01:12):
understand is getting to know.
So I've just been drawn into apersonal study season where it's
getting deeper andunderstanding the chronological
life of Jesus, the teachings ofJesus in the context of his walk

(01:36):
and his energy and his movement, and just all the things y'all.
So something hit me prettyimpressively this morning as I
was looking at Mark 8.
And in particular Mark 8, I amlooking at verse 15.

(02:04):
Then he charged them, sayingtake heed, beware of the leaven
of the Pharisees and the leavenof Herod.
Then I'll keep going.
16.
And they reasoned amongthemselves, saying it is because
we have no bread.
Okay, I'm going to pause there.
So here in this part of thestory, you have Jesus basically

(02:31):
giving instruction and warningto his disciples and, instead of
them just receiving theinstruction, they start doing
what many of us do and theystart reasoning and they start
trying to suggest that they oh,I know why he said that, or, oh,

(02:54):
I know what this meant and oh,I know what he's thinking about
this.
Oh, and I know where this mightlead.
Oh, and I know why that led tothat.
They start reasoning.
Is this hitting any of y'all?
Because I'm going to tell youthis as a critical thinker, as a

(03:15):
type A person.
I'm really on the reasoningteam.
I am on Jesus's reasoning teamand I would have been right
there with the disciples hearinghim pretty much tell me stop
reasoning, right?
Okay?
So what happens in verse 17?

(03:36):
Here it comes, but Jesus, beingaware of it, said to them why
do you reason?
Because you have no bread, butI'm going to keep going.
Do you not yet perceive, norunderstand?
Is your heart still hardened?
Having eyes, do you not see?
And having ears, do you nothear?

(04:03):
And do you not remember?
When I broke the five loavesfor the 5,000, how many baskets
full of fragments did you takeup?
They said to him 12.
Also, when I broke the fiveloaves for the 5,000, how many
baskets full of fragments didyou take up?
They said to him 12.
Also, when I broke the sevenfor the 4,000, how many large
baskets full of fragments didyou take up?
And they said seven.
So he said to them how is ityou do not understand what that

(04:23):
part, understand what that part?
So now I just read all the waydown to verse 21, where it got
to the punchline of thisconversation between Jesus and
the disciples.
But I can't stop going back toverse 17.
In the very beginning, why doyou reason?

(04:44):
No-transcript.
He gave instruction in verse 15of Mark, mark 8, mark 8, 15.
He gave instruction take heed,beware of the leaven.
And in verse 17, he says why doyou reason?

(05:08):
Because in verse 16, peoplelike Shantra, disciples, were
trying to second guess and orpre-guess why he gave the
instruction that he did.
That is not our job, y'all.
That's not our job.
It's beyond our pay grade, andif you're in a corporate sense,

(05:29):
you know what I mean.
It's beyond our pay grade.
Sometimes you just got to dowhat you're asked to do, period,
and you let the people that areyour superior, that are your
authority, you let them do whatthey do above you, but you don't
have to reason everything.
So the three takeaways for me,one when Jesus gives instruction

(05:53):
, believe it, follow it and seewhere it takes you.
Period, Believe it, follow itand see where it takes you.
Do not reason.
All right, y'all, go and beblessed.