Jen’s Gem: Take a step in faith to fulfill your purpose.
Yesterday, I was honored to speak at an event on the topic of “Purpose-Driven Women.” Words like “called,” “by design,” “planned,” “chosen” filled the air as each speaker touched on how to walk in our God-given purpose. It was an uplifting and inspiring time and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.
On the drive home, a couple of themes rose to the surface:
- We know that we were created for a purpose. (Plenty of Scriptures were shared to back this up!)
- There are several obstacles that prevent us from living it.
Obstacles like envy of other people’s success. Confusion about who we are – our identity as a child of God. Fear that keeps us stuck in place.
“…God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began…” (2 Timothy 1:9 NKJV)
One of the teachings I listened to this week spoke about the danger of comparing ourselves to other people, which leads to feelings of unworthiness. It was noted that we live in a world where keeping up with the Jones’s has become a national sport. I couldn’t agree more.
Social media feeds are chock full of “see what I have” fueling our “I’m not good enough” mindsets. I’m convinced that the single best thing we (and young people especially) can do is to turn off all social media.
If we spend our time wishing we were like someone else or wishing we had what they had, then we’ve essentially wasted our lives. Even worse? When we compare ourselves to other people, we’re saying to God, the Creator of the Universe, the Creator of YOU – that He didn’t do a good enough job when He made us.
Wow! Can you imagine standing in front of your heavenly Father who loves you so much that it’d make your heart pop saying “You didn’t do a good job. You didn’t make me good enough.” Wow…
Every once in a while, my kids and I will trade barbs about their ‘inherited’ body parts. “Why didn’t I get this or that physical trait?” (I totally get this as growing up, the number one request on my yearly Christmas list was to be taller.)
It’s all in fun and we get a good laugh. However, if they were to come to me and say “You made me all wrong. Why didn’t you make me like this?” I think I’d break down and cry. I see them as perfectly made and I love them with all of my heart. Just like God does with us.
It’s human nature to desire things or traits that other people have. We wish we were like this or that. Having thoughts like these is going to happen from time to time. But what we DO with them is an entirely different story.
If I see someone who is having more success in an area that I want to pursue, I can sit on my couch and wish I were more like them. Or, I can connect with that person and ask “How’d you do that?” I can be humble and have a teachable spirit, knowing that there are plenty of opportunities for both of us.
For example: there are 600 million blogs in the world right now. 600 million! Over 2 million blog posts are published each day. And in the United States, there are 31.7 million bloggers! Whoa!
My point here is not to provide you with random blogging stats, but rather to illustrate that if I would’ve looked at these prior to starting this blog nearly six years ago (and my other blogs over 14 years ago), I would’ve been one of those people who said “What’s the use? There are too many blogs out there already.” I’d have given up before I even gave it a try and become one of the 95 percent of bloggers who abandon ship.
“May He grant you according to your heart’s desire And fulfill all your purpose.” (Psalm 20:4 NKJV)
I’m confident that each person reading this message today has a gift, a talent that the world needs you to share. Perhaps you have a project or business you’d like to dip your toe into. Maybe there is a position in your company you’d like to apply for.
I want to encourage you to not waste your God-given talents wishing to be someone else or to have what they have. Step out in faith. With God, anything is possible.
Know that you were created on purpose, for a purpose. Believe that God wants you to fulfill it.