Navigating Decision Making in the Soul Wilderness

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Ever felt like you're wandering through a wilderness with no map, no cell service, and absolutely no clue what the future holds? That's exactly what we tackle in this raw, honest conversation about the "soul wilderness" – that gritty, confusing, heart-wrenching space where the familiar landmarks have vanished and doubt pulls up a chair.

The wilderness isn't punishment – it's preparation. Drawing from biblical examples and personal experience, we explore how these limbo seasons are actually forming you for what's next. Jesus entered the wilderness before his public ministry. Israel wandered before reaching the promised land. Hagar met God in her darkest moment. These weren't detours – they were essential stages of transformation. When your calendar feels empty and prayers seem to hit the ceiling, remember: "You don't get strong roots on mountaintops, you get them in the dust."

Doubt resilience becomes crucial when making decisions in limbo. Truth bomb: you will never feel 100% certain when making comeback moves. As an Enneagram 6 who's battled with second-guessing every major decision, I've learned that growth means making choices without complete clarity. The wilderness teaches us to trust not just what we've learned, but who we're becoming through the transition. If you're sitting in that messy middle between what was and what's not yet, you're not crazy or forgotten – you're standing on holy, gritty ground where comeback stories are born. Your roots are being forged in this unseen space, preparing you for the promised land ahead.

Ready to build doubt resilience and take that next step, even without seeing the whole path? Check out the coaching call link in the show notes. Let's create your comeback strategy together, one brave decision at a time.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Is there a major life transition benching you?
I know you may be asking what'snext?
What's my purpose?
What if?
Because I've asked those too.
Welcome to the Start yourComeback Podcast.
I'm Toni Thrash, a certifiedlife coach, and I want to share
the tools and practical steps tohelp you create a winning game

(00:23):
plan to move into your newadventure.
Hi, welcome back.

(00:57):
You're listening to episode 87.
I've got something exciting toshare with you.
I'm currently writing my veryfirst book Start your Comeback.
This book has been a long timecoming and is born out of years
of walking through real lifetransitions, coaching others
through theirs and learning howto build a comeback strategy

(01:17):
when life knocks you flat.
It's packed with honest stories, hard-won lessons and game
plans to help you rise againstronger, wiser, and more plans
to help you rise again stronger,wiser and more anchored in who
you are.
I can't wait to get it in yourhands.
Stay tuned.
Today we are heading into thewilderness.
That's right, you heard me.

(01:38):
The wilderness, not the kindwith pine trees and hammocks,
not the curated Instagramversion with the sunrise in the
background and a filtered quoteover it.
No, I'm talking about the soulwilderness, the gritty,
confusing, heart-wrenching,identity-questioning space we
call limbo.
This is the season where themap has run out, the compass

(02:03):
spins and every familiarlandmark has vanished.
The noise is gone and whatyou're left with is stillness.
And in that stillness, doubtpulls up a chair, especially
when it comes to decision making.
You see, limbo is not failure,it's formation.

(02:24):
Let's get one thing straightright now You're not lost,
you're being led.
I know it doesn't feel that way.
You don't have a map, you don'thave cell service, you don't

(02:45):
have a clue what the next 30days or even the next 30 minutes
hold.
But just because you don't seea path doesn't mean there isn't
one.
And just because you're unsuredoesn't mean you're unsafe.
And just because doubt is louddoesn't mean it's telling the
truth.
You see, limbo feels likestanding in a hallway where
every door is either locked orunmarked.
You keep reaching for doorknobsthat won't turn and eventually

(03:09):
you start wondering and askingyourself these questions Did I
miss it?
Did I mess up?
Is God even here?
Was there even a promise in thefirst place?
Near, was there even a promisein the first place?

(03:29):
But hear me and I'm saying thisfrom the trenches not a stage.
Silence is not absence anddoubt is not your guide.
You see, there's a purpose inthe wilderness.
Let's talk about the Bible forjust a second.
You see, the wilderness wasn'ta side note or isn't a side note
in Scripture.
It's a stage, a proving ground.

(03:51):
It's where Jesus went beforehis public ministry.
It's where Israel was formedbefore they ever stepped foot
into the promised land.
It's where Hagar, abandoned andafraid, met God and gave him
the name El Roy, the God whosees me.
You see, the wilderness is notpunishment, it's preparation.

(04:13):
This is where God shapes thekind of character that can carry
a comeback.
You don't get strong roots onmountaintops, you get them in
the dust.
You don't learn to listen whenthe crowd is loud, you learn in
the quiet.
And you don't become who you'remade to be under spotlights.
You become that person when noone's watching and doubt is at

(04:37):
full volume.
I remember a season when I feltlike everything I'd built had
come crashing down.
My calendar was empty, I wasdivorced, alone.
My prayers felt like they werehitting the ceiling and bouncing
back.
I woke up one morning, sat onthe edge of my bed and said God,

(04:59):
I don't even know what to askfor anymore.
No lightning, no burning bush.
Just a whisper deep in my gutKeep walking.
That's what you do in thewilderness.
You don't sprint, you don'tpitch a tent and call it home.
You walk, and even with sand inyour shoes and tears in your

(05:21):
eyes, even with doubt breathingdown your neck.
Now let's talk about decisionmaking.
During this limbo space, youwant to wait until it's clear,
until the fear is gone, untilthe doubt shuts up and certainty
walks in, until the doubt shutsup and certainty walks in.
But here's the truth bomb youwill not feel 100% sure when you

(05:45):
make a comeback move in thislimbo stage.
You will still have doubt inthe room, it will still be
whispering, but doubt doesn'tget the final say.
You make the decision anyway.
You trust what you've learnedand, more importantly, you trust

(06:10):
what you're learning.
You trust who you're becomingthrough this transition.
As an Enneagram 6, and I knowsome of you can relate I have
battled with second-guessingevery major decision and choice.
But part of growing up in myfaith and growing up in my
comeback is this I've learned tomake decisions and trust that

(06:30):
they're good.
This is part of what I calldoubt resilience.
You make the decision and,without beating down the door,
you act on the decision.
It's not perfect, it's notfoolproof, it may not even work,
but you're brave and you'retrying.

(06:54):
If you're in the middle of limbo, I want to tell you something
out loud and clear You're notstuck, you're not broken, you're
not forgotten.
You are in the holy, grittyground of the coming.
God doesn't waste a wildernessseason.
He uses it to build prophetsand warriors, leaders and you.

(07:14):
He's forging your roots in thisquiet.
He's forging your roots in thisquiet, unseen space.
And there's an edge to thisdesert.
There is a morning when themanna shows up.
There is a promised land andyou're walking toward it, even
when it feels like wandering.

(07:36):
So if you're sitting in thatmessy middle between what was
and what's not yet, know this,you're not crazy.
No-transcript.
You see, this is where comebackstories are born, alone and in

(07:57):
the wilderness.
If today's episode hit home foryou and you're ready to take
that next step, even if youdon't know exactly where it's
leading, I'd love to walk withyou.
The link to schedule a coachingcall is in the show notes.
But let's build your comebackplan together, one decision and

(08:19):
one step at a time, buildingdoubt, resilience all along the
way.
Keep walking.
I'll see you next time.
Hey, thanks for listening.
I don't take it for grantedthat you're here.
You didn't listen by mistake.
If you want to reach out, youcan DM me on Instagram at Tony

(08:40):
Thrash Until next week.
Remember, there's still timeleft on the clock.
Let's get you off the bench tostart your comeback.
I want to give a special shoutout to Country Club for the
original music.
You can find them on Instagramat country club.
You.