Hey, Darling Things!
I am about to write one of the fastest posts of my life because it’s almost time for the ministry to close for the day and I don’t like for any of the support staff to feel like they have to stay around and wait for me. My man will also be ready for his wife to come home. I don’t have time to think about how I should say this or to proof it and rehash it for the next two hours. I’m just going to spit it out there because I can’t shake it from my mind and I feel it pressing on me in such a way that I’ve got to release it.
In the wonderful (and I really do mean wonderful) world of blogs and Twitter-follows, a pile-up can happen with the potential to profoundly hinder the Gospel. We can find ourselves suddenly feeling panicked, or confused, or left out, or just plain lame because our follow-ship of Christ doesn’t look like someone else’s that we admire. I know that’s a yawner. I mean, who doesn’t already know that can happen? Talk about an elementary grasp of the obvious. But stay with me here a second and hash this out a bit because this very thing happened to me yesterday. And I feel like if it happened to me – and I’ve been pretty convinced of the direction of my calling for years now – that it could happen to a lot of us. Especially those who haven’t quite gotten their footing yet. See if you relate:
I read a fabulous post by a young woman I greatly respect and I was moved and convicted by it but over the next few hours I fell into the (self-induced!) trap of thinking things like, “I should have taken that same stand. That’s what’s really important. We should have vastly downsized. We should have moved to the inner city. Not out to the country. I need to get rid of more stuff. ” (And I do, for crying out loud.) “And I need to be more active globally.” And on and on and on. Now, listen to me carefully when I tell you that it was not her post. The post was tremendous, filled with the love of Jesus, and such a portrayal of the Gospel. The problem was what my mind then did with it.
I started thinking of all the people who are doing effectual things for the Kingdom, who I admire tremendously and often wish I were more like. For instance, I started thinking of some Bible professors who I follow who spend all of their work lives training up students in the Scriptures then watch them walk out into the world and take their places. Now, that’s huge. And I started thinking of my dear friends who do amazing and courageous work to fight the atrocities of human trafficking and I think, “Now, THAT’S enormous! What a reflection of the heart of God! Freedom!!! Does it get any bigger than that?? THAT’S what God’s prioritizing right now!” They impact and motivate me every day. And then I start thinking of people who’ve adopted numerous orphans and those who put their hearts at risk over and over as fabulous, loving foster parents. I love children! What could be more Christ-like than that??? And I have so many missionary friends who have left every worldly comfort for the Gospel of the living Lord Jesus Christ, sometimes at the daily risk of their lives. That is the Great Commission! The main thing Jesus sent us out to do!
AND, SISTER, IT IS.
But which cause do we take up? Where do we begin? Which one is God’s favorite?? Who’s God’s favorite??? Because I want to be like God’s favorite, don’t you? Yes, yes, Jesus is God’s favorite. And He is the one and only Person we should want to be just like. But, let’s admit it. Sometimes we can get a little confused in this lens we have to the world through one quick gleaming glance at our screen. The works of God taking place out there are astounding! And some of them we now have the privilege to give ear to every single day through Twitter. It’s fabulous. I absolutely love it. But it can also be bewildering as we try to figure out where we fit in all of that. And maybe we can’t see a fit at all.
Here’s what I want to throw at you to consider. This is what I felt God placed upon my heart as I wrestled with this last night.
What do you look like when you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?
Because THAT person, Girlfriend, is who He’s looking for in you.
When we’re trying to hash out God’s priorities for us, that’s IT in a nutshell. “Teacher, which commandment is the most important of all?”
And that’s what He told them.
So, let me ask you this: when you are teeming with love for the Lord your God, who are you right then? What is your passion? What is it that you are bursting to do? That’s probably the stream of your calling. I’m not asking you who you see in front of you when you feel the most love for Jesus because that could be your pastor or your teacher or your worship leader. I’m asking you who is INSIDE OF YOU when you are flooded with the fiery love of Christ? Right there in that passion you’ll start discovering that purpose.
You following Christ will not always look the same as someone else following Christ. Why on earth would He have bothered to form you in your mother’s womb with your own DNA and life experience ahead just to copy what someone else you’re seeing is doing?
Who are you supposed to look like in your calling here on earth and in the way you follow Christ? You’re supposed to look like the version of you that loves Jesus with everything in you.
That’s the real you.
And that’s the road down which you will find what He put you on the planet to do. You don’t have to figure out what to surrender to. Just surrender your heart to Jesus. Every single ounce of it. Ask Him to give you a love for Him that surpasses anything in your human experience. A supernatural capacity. And ask Him for it every day until He does it and then ask Him to do it some more. If you’re a writer, your exploding love for Him will bring it out. If you’re a liberator, you will not be able to keep yourself from seeing to the oppressed. If you’re a teacher, you won’t be able to quit studying except to share what you learned with somebody. If you love Him with your whole heart and that whole heart bursts to sell everything and move to China, Girl, get your passport!
Who would you be if you loved Jesus with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength?
That’s what you’re meant to look like.
Let THAT person follow Him, and He, Child, will make you a fisher of men.
My fastest post ever. But I feel better.
I love you guys so much.
Great post. I think we can all relate to comparisons making their way into our hearts and minds. This is where we must fix our eyes on Jesus and what He alone has called us to! It really might be fighting human trafficking or going over seas, but today, it might look different. I fear too many women don’t ask God what He wants for them. It’s risky, for sure, but totally worth it and it can be costly, but the blessing is all yours! Obedience is peace.
It’s amazing that I have been wrestling with this same issue. I love how God burned it on your heart so that you could get this word out! It’s liberating! Thank you!!
Thank you, Siesta mama! What a joy to read that. I appreciate your putting words to what I’m feeling when I walk away from a presentation—so filled with joy and hope.
After walking with the Lord for 20 years, He revealed my calling–to work in the domestic violence field. He redeemed my life from my own abuser and bondage and I share the freedom that victims can have. My real passion is to educate people around victims (especially in churches) so they can provide appropriate support. Most people say “You need to leave”, but warning—! 75% of women who are murdered, are so when leaving their abuser. We also don’t want to go the opposite path and pat women on the head with a prayer and encourage them to go home and submit to an abuser, either….so what to do? Save this number in your phone: the National Domestic Violence hotline: 800-799-SAFE and encourage the victim call for help (Callers are directed to their local DV agency). We can help her with a plan of action to leave safely and assist with Protection orders, counseling, etc. Many of us who work in secular DV agencies are Christians. If callers ask, we are able to pray with them.
No one in the church ever told me that what I was experiencing was abuse, and that help was available, so the Lord graciously redeemed my pain so I can prep others to help their friends. It’s the joy of my life—hallelujah for our God who REDEEMS!
Love you all <3
This has un-hinged me from a load of pressure… I was feeling like I needed to sell all of my possessions and raise my toddler and new born in the jungles of Africa because I wasn’t doing enough, even though God has not asked me to do so. Thank you for this timely word!
This post was written for me! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I’ve felt exactly the same after reading other blogs. This is like a second answer from God. The first was yesterday morning when He brought to my attention Ps.16:2, I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; without you I have no good thing.” It’s Jesus I want and His lordship and leading over whatever I do.
First of all; I’d like to say that that person totally given over to God’s will is what we need in this world we live in… Just last night watching a few things on TV I was struck by the fact that there was no voice for God, I’m sure that that was on purpose… But I thought how much our country has fallen from our Christian values. Then I read Beth’s blog this morning and I thought, Wait a minute, I’m listening and reading the wrong things, perhaps there is something going on out there in the world for Christ I just don’t know about…. So I need to pray the pray you suggested Beth, about asking the Lord to fill me with HIM and asking for his dirction for my life. Thank you for the encouragement.
Ahhhhh. Breath of fresh air post! This confirms my personal conviction of not being on Facebook in this life stage of mine. I will think of this post when I am bathing my screaming and irate, emotionally delayed 5 year old day after day!
Thanks for making a mom feel like the mundane is worth it!
I love how God works. He used your bouncing thoughts about blogs, callings, and what He loves to remind us all that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus. I needed to be reminded.
Siesta Mama – once again, you brought the word of the Lord! Thank you so much. I know where I’m headed but I don’t have a clue what all that will look like or entail. Just last week a dear friend said to me, “you are afraid to say you know what you are to do, because you’re afraid someone is going to ask you to do something you don’t think you are supposed to do and you won’t be able to say no because it comes under the general heading of “women’s ministry” You are allowed and expected to say NO to things you’re not called to or don’t feel led to do.You CAN say NO.” What liberty!! Thank you for posting!
So beautifully put…and for a girl who’s reading the biography of “Praying Hyde” right now…MUCH NEEDED! Thank you!
Beth,
Your post is timely as I think through all that I learned at the You Lead and LPL this last weekend in Phoenix. Your teaching this last weekend was so needed for me. I was really struggling on Fri night so I missed a good bit, but caught enough to be able to follow you on Sat. Why bring this up because I just want to say that as I read this post I thought about how you do most of the things you mentioned it just looks different. Your teaching is equipping and freeing people world wide. Don’t let the enemy put a stigma on you by thinking for one minute that your ministry is less important than another. Remember your are marked by God.(I hope your read that as encouraging, cause that is how I meant it to be) I totally get what you were saying though. I so struggle with comparing myself to others and what they are doing and yep I usually come up short. It is so nice to know that I don’t have to look like everyone else.
I’m a college freshman, and lately I’ve been trying to figure out where God is leading me and what He has designed me to do with my life. This post was exactly what I needed this morning! Thank you.
Possibly the most insightful thing that I’ve ever read. So, thank you.
Preachin’. To. Me.
This is profoundly relevant right now and probably will continue to be relevant as technology increases and we get the opportunity to peak into everyone’s world a little more.
Comparison is stinky. I love the connection social media brings, but I have to keep watching out for a spirit of comparison that tries to seep in as I read what everyone else is doing, reading, thinking, wearing, re-tweeting, preaching, eating, and believing.
This is a really really good word Beth! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for this post. I needed to hear it. I have been comparing myself to my fellow sisters in BSF all year long and wondering why I just don’t measure up. God has called me to be a CL to the senior level and many have been Christians as long as I have and I have felt so unworthy and like my efforts have been in vain because I don’t measure up to the rest of the CL’s. Thank you for this timely post 🙂
I love you Beth and I am so thankful that God has put you in my life! He speaks to me through you all the time! And, this was for me. I wish I could sit down on your porch with you and chat like old friends! I am an ex pastor’s wife, but thank you for letting me know that I am not an x to God!!
Thank you. I needed this today.
Ashley
Ok, I’m not a girl but I read this post and I know that I know that I know that to love Jesus is the answer to who I am and who’s I am and what I do. When I let the Spirit work, phenomenal things happen. When I start comparing myself to others and their ministries I get “feeling” bad when the fact is I’m me and not someone else. We have to be reminded that God is at work. We don’t have to build the kingdom, just pursue God, let the Spirit work, and that takes pressure off of just what we’re to do. It becomes a natural flow of love and grace to others. Thank you for the timely and terrific post.
I’m sitting here in a room full of bustling little boys, video games, and cries for my attention. In the midst of it all, my attention is pulled from here to there being a wife and mother as well as balancing my studies and nursing a hubby back to health from, well, being his own version of a little boy and breaking his leg! Yeikes! In this season of life, it seems like absolutely EVERYONE is in God’s favorite camp but me! I totally resonate with your words here, Beth. I know it’s my own attitude and frustrations, but it seems like everyone I love and respect in the ministry is fulfilling those passions and longings receiving such favor from our Savior…then there’s little ol’ me. And I wonder…am I doing enough? Is my passion rightly directed? Am I doing that one big thing that’s going to make greatest impact for the Kingdom? Is my calling passing me by? I find myself looking to the others the Lord has called and is using and feeling somehow jealous of their ministry. Wow…stings to say it out loud. Well, anyway, thanks for your post. It has given me reason to pause and get my heart in check…and also to refocus upon that which God has created ME to be. It’s easy to fall into the trap of looking at others. Thanks for your candor. Message received.
This is what I needed to hear! Thanks!
God placed this on your heart last night to minister to me this morning. Thank you for ‘listening’ and then ‘sharing’.
It may have been a fast post, but it certainly was not void of anointment! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I persecute myself ALL.THE.TIME. over this. Thank you for some truth and encouragement! Your ministry is such a blessing.
Beth,
Great, great post!
Thanks so much. I needed to read this post. It is like water to my thirsty soul.
Great post!
Perfect timing – God told me this yet again yesterday….STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS. I need to focus on MY relationship with Him not somebody else’s….my life is about what He created me to be and do, not what someone else was created to be and do. Thanks for the confirmation – and by the way, God, THROUGH YOU, has touched SO MANY lives and created a passion to know God’s Word and love it and embrace it. And memorizing James….which led to memorizing other books……has TOTALLY changed my life. I am indebted for your example and your challenge and the encouragement that memorizing that was doable.
Just awesome. I’m going to let this marinate. Love it, Siesta Momma. <3
Great, great comments. Thanks – I needed that! I think the same issue comes up with listening to many amazing pastors/teachers on podcasts. It can also make you critical of your own pastor.That’s ugly. We just need to give everyone the freedom to be who they are in their most authentic Christ-loving self and let them walk it out in their God given personality, and that includes giving that grace to myself in how I walk it out.
Thank you Jan for your response…I agree with you, it’s so easy to start comparing ourselves, our pastors, other church leaders to others and we are not allowing them to be who God has made us/them to be. Beth’s post seems to be so timely in my life and many others!
Beth,
Thank you to taking the time to write this. Timely word.
A friend and I were just talking about this recently from the perspective of how there are some leaders and Pastors that try to place a calling to missions or something of that nature onto others, when they do not feel called to do that. It can feel oppressive to see that type of thing going on. So, I also believe we need to honor each other and each position and calling in the kingdom as valuable and important so that there will be less of a temptation to have “identity confusion” in the body of Christ.
Love you all!
Amen and Amen.
And Amen, again.
Thanks Beth! God’s blessings to you, your family and LPM as we celebrate our risen Lord on Resurrection Day.
Right before your post popped up, I had just finished watching the last session from Life Today about Not forgetting to remember. I praying and thanking God for you, Beth Moore. I have never met you and may not this side of heaven. But I was thanking Him for you, your willingness to be used by Him to teach and share Him. I have learned and continue to learn so much about our Precious Savior and am so thankful and grateful.
After praying, I read your post and just wanted to tell you that God is using you more than you will ever possibly know this side of heaven. Thank you for loving Him with all of your heart, soul and mind. You are an immense blessing to me.
I am not sure you (God) could have timed ALL of that any more perfectly! Thank you AGAIN!
THANK YOU dear Beth!!
I am currently struggling with making decisions about job opportunities. Both are beautiful blessings. However, I am having trouble deciding. Moreover, when good friends try to help with “where do you see your career in 10 years” I just can answer in my heart loving and serving Jesus. Wanting others to know His love. I can’t really say that for the career answer at this poing. Thank you for the post – it was beautiful, refreshing, and encouraging!
Blessings to your family for this Easter Holiday!
I truly think this article could be one of my all time FAVORITE by Beth Moore.
Oh, but can I pick one.
I just want to add that the statement of:
“You’re supposed to look like the version of you that loves Jesus with everything in you.”
Has empowered, encouraged, and given me freedom. Again thank you for this!!
Thank you, Beth. Your words are fuel for my thoughts today, as always.
Thank-you for a timely reminder that my call is to love the Lord, my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. My purpose, my gift, my offering is to love Him with all that I am. I pray to work daily on this very commandment and allow Him to take care of the results. I love you Jesus.
Thanks Beth, for doing the writing quickly and not worrying about the analysis or reactions. So true, a good word to help us all. Rarely read the posts but glad I took the time today.
Denise
beth, that was a word from the Lord right there! i am 46 and am in the process of seeking God’s next step for me, and i have been sucked into the trap you depicted more than once.
i’m going to try to focus on determining what it is that brings fire to my heart, and ask God to give it to me in a clear clear way.
thanks for taking that prompting seriously. now go have an excellent Easter weekend.
Miss Beth,
This is refreshing, freeing and liberating! With every fiber of my being I just want to serve Jesus – but your right that even that can get confusing. I know so often I struggle because what does serving mean for me. I writing this down solely because this is who God is calling me to be and maybe if I write it I will start to confidently believe it – I am suppose to be a teacher. I am resolving to walk that – whatever that looks like because frankly I have the “what” but not so much the “how”! But isn’t that the beauty of our Lord, He usually gives us the what but asks us to trust Him with the how! Thanks so much for being faithful to write what God puts on your heart! Praising Him for your words!
Kara Jess
I echo Patty’s Amen and amen!!! This is the most timely word! And God knew it!! Thank you for following thru and sharing it, girl!
Beth – I just reread your blog as I shared it with a friend and had to comment again with another big THANK YOU! The “comparison trap” is something I’ve struggled hard with for years…further exacerbated when I married a man in full-time ministry. I’d never experienced such competition before. Competition is a good thing when there’s a ball in your hand, but not a Bible. I allowed the comparison trap to eat my lunch to the point that I began to “wish myself away” (a line from the Chronicles of Narnia- Voyage of the Dawn Treader). I constantly questioned and doubted my calling (teaching/speaking), I struggled to hear God speak, and at one point literally lost my own voice. Comparing myself had become such a stinking stronghold in my life, and to deal with it the Lord graciously led me to dig into His Word and teach on the very subject (something He does quite often to get me unstuck). My daily prayer is, “Lord help me to be the “me” that You created me to be and keep my eyes fixed on You”. Praise Him! He has answered that prayer. And today I can say that I “feel His pleasure” and love Him more than I ever have in being exactly who He made me to be… doing exactly what He’s called me to do.
Thank you, again, Beth, for caring enough about all of us that you’d “spit out” such precious words… straight from Abba’s heart.
xo – P
And we love you so much! Thank you for living out loud and up close as it has impacted me for the last 10 years for His kingdom!
Love to you Beth,
Beth
Such a great post! I struggle with this constantly. I’m one of those foster moms you mention, but then I look at my best friend who has a missionary’s heart for Liberia, Africa, and I go “Why am I not doing that? That is what is so important.” But my heart’s passion: These kids who need someone to be there for them. God always gently reminds me that being mom is kingdom work too.
DIANA FROM BRIDGE CITY TX.
KJ PHILIPPIANS 4;4
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS; AND AGAIN I SAY, REJOICE.
I wrote this poem based on a scenario that you give in one of your classes. So ironic to see a similar post on your blog today–very inspirational. I am a business owner but I love to write and I know God will give me all I need to continue to minister thru poetry and prose. Thank you for your ministry!
The Mother and The Executive
Around the same time, in the same neighborhood
Two ladies arose, both feeling misunderstood
The one a slender single executive, planning to travel afar
Put on her suit and heels and jumped into her sports car
The other was married and a stay at home mother of four
She prepared her kids for school and hurried out the door
While the mother was traveling in her old large minivan
Her baby began to cry and a red light she almost ran
Slamming on her breaks, she then looked to her right
And slowly the executive pulled into her sight
Her feeling of envy was at first a simple thought
But she allowed the thought to linger until she became distraught
She thought, “Oh, how I wish I could have her life,
No kids, a nice car, no pressures of being a wife
Time to exercise, time to actually maintain a waist!
Time to relax, a quiet home, I would not mind taking her place!
The executive turned and looked at the mother and she felt sadness
And she too allowed her thoughts to linger until they turned into madness
She thought, “Oh, how I wish I could just have a family
A boy, a girl and a cute little baby
Laughter and joy would fill my empty house
I long to have kids and a loving supportive spouse!
Now the light changed and they each came out of their daze
They mashed the gas and went their separate ways
The mother pulled up to school to drop off her two boys and little girl
And they each kissed her and said, “You’re the best mom in the world!”
The executive arrived and the airport and spotted her boss pushing thru the mobs
He ran up to her and shouted, “The proposal you wrote allows us to create a hundred new jobs!”
Tears filled both of their eyes and they repented for not being content
For they knew God had them were He wanted them for that very moment!
Good good word! We always get into hot water when we compare ourselves. Period. Keep Him in focus and He will reveal whatever needs to be revealed…and we will be satisfied.
God’s timing on this post is just perfect! Thank you so much, Beth, for this post. I’m a very shy person, and a few years ago God called me to start a blog. This was so out of my league and so out of my comfort zone, that I knew I could do it only with God’s help. There would be no other way. And so many times I’ve been intimidated by what others write and how they write… 2012 was a very difficult year for a lot of reasons, but also because I had scaled down my writing. And some women commented that they missed my posts. But I let the enemy continue to intimidate me. I’ve been very encouraged by the words God has spoken to me through your post! I praise God for it!
Thank you Beth for this post. You just helped me and many others to re-examine who we really are in Christ and not in the reflection of anyone else. Thank you…I’m going to get me some FOCUS…and surrender with joy to be who God has called me to be.
Oh thank you Beth for that word!! I needed to hear that!!
Thank you, Beth, for your transparency, honesty, and encouragement.