An Unfair Comparison
“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” - Luke 6:38
Yesterday we talked about the gifts God has given you, and how to use them for His purpose. So what are the things that can keep you from living up to the potential God has given you? Sometimes it can be comparisons, other times it can be expectations, and it can even be clout and “stuff.” Over the next three days we will look at each of these threats.
First, there are comparisons. Where many believers go wrong is comparing their lives to the lives of others. In many cases, they’re often comparing themselves to celebrities. They compare their every day lives to the highlights they seen on social media - the parties, or the luxurious vacations, and the edited photos (often by professionals). They compare the events to their daily tasks, and the images to how they wake up in the mornings.
The reality is these comparisons are completely unfair. They are apples to oranges. Too often, we compare someone’s strengths to our weaknesses. The gifts you have been given are often completely different than the social media influencer or tv star you follow the closest. God is not looking for you to be a second version of someone else, but the original you.
In other words, your job is to play with the cards you have been dealt, not the hand of someone across the table. So how can you better play with your own cards? First, by identifying the strength of your hand! What are YOUR gifts? YOUR abilities? YOUR strengths? Once you identify each of these you can better determine how to use them to your advantage, and more importantly, for God’s glory.
Yesterday we talked about the gifts God has given you, and how to use them for His purpose. So what are the things that can keep you from living up to the potential God has given you? Sometimes it can be comparisons, other times it can be expectations, and it can even be clout and “stuff.” Over the next three days we will look at each of these threats.
First, there are comparisons. Where many believers go wrong is comparing their lives to the lives of others. In many cases, they’re often comparing themselves to celebrities. They compare their every day lives to the highlights they seen on social media - the parties, or the luxurious vacations, and the edited photos (often by professionals). They compare the events to their daily tasks, and the images to how they wake up in the mornings.
The reality is these comparisons are completely unfair. They are apples to oranges. Too often, we compare someone’s strengths to our weaknesses. The gifts you have been given are often completely different than the social media influencer or tv star you follow the closest. God is not looking for you to be a second version of someone else, but the original you.
In other words, your job is to play with the cards you have been dealt, not the hand of someone across the table. So how can you better play with your own cards? First, by identifying the strength of your hand! What are YOUR gifts? YOUR abilities? YOUR strengths? Once you identify each of these you can better determine how to use them to your advantage, and more importantly, for God’s glory.
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