Betty: Notice how the temptation for you was to go into discouragement. That’s part how the Perfectionist manipulates you to avoid doing the work that the Lord might be calling you to. There’s a certain pride in running to discouragement rather than have to face the wounded, broken parts of ourselves. The sooner we catch on to that trick, the better. The enemy might be at work. It’s like, “Oh, poor you. You’ve been working so hard, and look what keeps happening… blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” And it’s like, “Nah, I’m tired of wasting my life in discouragement. I’m going to get down and ask Jesus to show me where the truth is.” I feel that when we ask the Lord to bring us into truth, that’s a prayer He won’t resist answering. Because He very much knows how much we need His truth and how the enemy works in our weakness to keep us stuck in places. We go feel sorry for ourselves. But Satan can still torture us while we’re feeling sorry for ourselves. That’s the other advantage of working it through instead of giving into the running. It probably will help your inability to sleep. Because the more you learn to face stuff, and let the Lord help you work it through, the easier it is to sleep at night. 

I would ask forgiveness for being so impatient and demanding that He work on your time instead of working on His time. Because we can get in that place where we don’t realize we’re the ones who are trying to manipulate God. It’s like, “Wait a minute. I’m the creature. What’s going on here?” Be alert as your Perfectionist can be very demanding, not only of you, but also trying to boss God around. That’s not to His glory. You want to teach her to stop that. It’s very disrespectful and inappropriate. But, she gets impatient, and she wants it now. It’s like, “No, I’m going to wait on God. He will know when I’m ready.” You’re not God. He is. So, cool it. In God’s time, things will happen the way they’re meant to.”

If you find yourself running into discouragement, I invite you to say, “I’m tired of wasting my life in discouragement. I’m going to get down, and ask Jesus to show me where the truth is.” When we ask the Lord to bring us into truth, that’s a prayer He won’t resist answering.”