Your Mindset Matters—But It’s Not Enough

If you’ve been around the self-help world for more than eleven minutes, you’ve probably heard some version of this:

"You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond."

It’s a solid principle. Biblical, even. Paul, sitting in prison, wrote about being content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13). Jesus literally slept through a storm while His disciples freaked out (Matthew 8:23-27). The idea that your inner world doesn’t have to be held hostage by your external circumstances? That’s truth.

Then there’s another self-help staple:

"Stop resisting reality. Accept what is, and focus on what you can do."

Again—good stuff! If you’ve got a permanent challenge in your life (health issue, financial limitation, relationship loss), you could spend all your energy arguing with the reality of it, or you could get creative and find a way to move forward with it. That’s wisdom. That’s resilience. That’s Paul writing letters to churches even when he couldn’t physically visit them.

And then there’s this one:

"Fear will always be there. The goal isn’t to eliminate fear, but to increase your courage."

Also true! Joshua was told "Be strong and courageous" before stepping into the Promised Land (Joshua 1:9). Jesus told people "Do not be afraid" more times than we can count, not because fear never shows up, but because it doesn’t get to be in charge.

And last but not least:

"Breakthrough takes time. Stop obsessing over the ‘how’ and ‘when’—just keep going."

Again, solid. Abraham had to wait 25 years for his promise. Joseph sat in prison for over a decade before stepping into his calling. There’s plenty of wisdom in developing patience, trusting the process, and refusing to quit.

So, to be clear, I am not knocking the personal growth crowd. In fact, I think they’re onto something. Each of these mindsets is scriptural and useful. But here’s where traditional self-help comes up short:

It stops at you.

It assumes the only forces at play in your life are your own thoughts, your own actions, and your own ability to navigate hardship. And while those things matter (a lot), they are not the whole story.

Because there’s another force at play.

A sovereign, all-powerful, loving Father.

A God who can calm storms with a word.

A healer who can actually change a diagnosis.

A provider who can open doors no man can shut.

A deliverer who can command fear to flee, rather than just helping you cope with it.

Self-help teaches that the key to breakthrough is you. The Bible teaches that breakthrough comes two ways:

1. The renewal of your mind—shifting your perspective, growing your faith, and learning to see things through the lens of truth.  Taking on the mind of Christ
2. The sovereign power of God—the miraculous, unexplainable, game-changing move of heaven in your circumstances.  Surrendering to miracles

Both are true. But only together are they Truth.

And this is where it gets really fun.

Because when you’re only focused on self-help, you might be working hard, but you’re missing out on the power of God.

And if you’re only focused on miracles, you might be praying hard, but you’re missing out on the transformation God wants to do in you.

But when you partner with both?

When you let God renew your mind and trust Him for the supernatural?

That’s when you stop white-knuckling your way through life.
That’s when fear loses its grip for real.
That’s when you stop waiting for circumstances to change before you experience joy.
That’s when you walk in true freedom.

And here’s the thing: you don’t have to figure this out alone.

Sometimes, you need someone in your corner reminding you of truth when you forget.
Someone who sees your blind spots and helps you shift your perspective.
Someone who will stand in faith with you—not just for what you can do, but for what God can do.

That’s why coaching matters.

Not because you need another voice telling you what to do, but because sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come when someone helps you see what you couldn’t see before.

And when that coaching honors both sides of the equation—your mind and God’s power? That’s when the real magic (read: miracles) happens.

So if this stirred something in you… if you’ve been stuck between “I need to think differently” and “I need God to show up”… maybe it’s time to stop doing this journey alone.