Win at Being You

When I first bought the Anomaly cd by Christian Rap/Hip Hop artist Lecrae, I was excited to hear the music, but I was also excited to support a former classmate in his ministry.  Little did I know that that the album would speak to me in that way that it did.  I popped the cd in, and on the first listen I was hooked!  There is a song called Outsiders that immediately grabbed me.  In the space I was in (and still am in), I was struggling with what I am supposed to do in this time and place I am in.  God has put some books and experiences in my path that caused me to rethink what my priorities should be in my walk and my serving.

There is a lyric in the song that says, "I failed at being you, but I'm winning at being me."

There is so much truth in that statement.  How many times do we strive to meet someone else's goals?   Someone else's expectations?  How exhausting is that?  I know I am guilty of this.  Trying to meet the perfection standards set for us by the Facebook pictures of everyone's perfect life, the Pinterest pins of crafts, cakes, meals, school lunches, clothing, etc.  In the midst of trying to be good at everything for fear of not being able to perform/create/parent as well as the next person, we lose who we are and what our purpose is.  We can't do it all and do it well, and to be honest we are miserable doing it (although our smiling FB picture of us doing such things).  Essentially we are failing like the lyric says.  

I can't succeed at being someone else because God made me to be me.  He didn't create a cookie cutter human race with everyone have the same gifts and abilities.  He created each and every one of us to have a specific purpose.  How awesome is that?!?  Out of all the billions of people on this earth, God has a specific purpose for YOU that is not meant for anyone else. 

Trying to live in someone else's shoes may not mean that you are doing something wrong or even not God centered.  For example, there are many ministries and opportunities at my church.  I have served in some capacities because I felt like I should, and not because I felt like I had the gifts or resources to do so.  I was trying to be the person that was meant for that job when it wasn't who I was.  Let's just say it wasn't the most rewarding experiences, and at times I felt that I cheated both the ministry by not being the person they needed and the person who should have been serving by taking their place.  I have also served in capacities that I knew were my gifts and my calling.  Both opportunities are good ones, but not all were really meant for me.

What about when being me, puts me on the outside?  Good news, you are in good company.  Jesus was rejected, gossiped about by the Jewish elders of the time, put on trial and brutally killed for being Him...an outsider.  There are also so many other "outsiders" out there than you realize until you take the step in faith.  They are waiting to embrace you, encourage you, and love you for you.  Does this mean it will be easy.  Um, no.  Going against the grain of society is never easy.  Friends and family may tease you, think you are strange or even leave you altogether.  Guess what though, the Heavenly Father will never do that.  As I get older, I realize more and more that my life is so much easier when I am working to please God rather than please others.  He has also provided as I do these things to be sure that I am encouraged to continue.  Yes distractions come along and I follow them like a dog after a squirrel at times, I am human!  But once I realize it, I turn again back to the arms ready to receive me for me. 

Why waste your time here on this earth trying to be someone your not?  Live out your purpose and win at being you!