Talent part 3
It seems to me that there are two kinds of people in this world: Those who try as hard as they can to be someone they're not, in order to "fit in" or impress other people... and those who don't care what other people think. And I've noticed that the latter category is a lot more rare than the former. It seems like most people try to be someone they're not in order to get something they think they haven't got. In order to get love. People are willing to do anything to get love. To be loved. To be accepted. But giving up who you are--who you really are--is too high a price. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). Love is gift. It is freely given and must simply be received and released. If you have to convince someone to love you... that's not love. If you have to beg for something, even if you get it... it isn't worth it. Now look at the flip side of that: "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well" (Psalm 139:14). Accepting yourself. Embracing yourself. Understanding--with a knowledge that passes knowledge... heart knowledge instead of head knowledge--that you are exactly who you're supposed to be. And, listen, that doesn't mean you don't take care of yourself. It doesn't mean you look at rest like inactivity. Rest is not inactivity. It is Holy Spirit directed activity. And the only thing the Holy Spirit has ever, or will ever, direct you to do... is love. Love God. Love others. Love yourself. So instead of killing yourself... working yourself to death... trying to be someone you're not... you have to come to a place where you're ok with who you are. And more than that, where you can praise God for making you the way you are. You are needed. Necessary. You were made specifically you. On purpose. By purpose. For purpose. Nobody else can do what you can do exactly the way you can do it. And no one else can reach the people that you can reach in the way you can reach them. You have talent. It might not be the same as somebody else, but that's ok. That's the point. We are all different parts of the same body. We all have unique things we can do. So if I do my part and you do your part... everything will get done. Like that old football coach always says, "Do your job. Just do your job." Don't try to do somebody else's job. Don't try to be somebody else. Stay in your lane. Be you. Use your talent to love people. Let what's inside come out. By knowing and believing that it's in there. Receive and release the gift you've been given. You don't need to work for it. You can't earn it. Let it in and let out with each breath you take and move you make. Nobody can do what you do in the way you do it for the people you are connected with. That's your talent. That's your mission. That's your purpose. That's why you were created. You were put on this earth to be... you! So be you! Don't try to be someone you're not. You can't. Be who you are. The wonderful you that you are!