The Danger of Comparing (part 4)

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Translated that would be it is God which energizes you to determine and do what he pleases to be.

God desires something to be done.  Because he is no longer physically present, he chooses to work his will through us. Remember how Jesus said that he is the light of the world?  We find that in John 8:12. He still is the light, but now he chooses to shine through our lives. (Matthew 5:14)

We are his vessels to be used for his honor and glory. As each of us have a different purpose for our lives, we also each have the Lord working differently in and through us. If we allow him, God will perform his will and work in our lives. He's able to accomplish this by his Holy Spirit and through the equipping that he brings. Some of the equipping is gifts of the Holy Spirit. Other equipping comes through trials of life. James tells us that the trying of her faith will make us perfect or complete so that we will be wanting for nothing.

Each of our lives is different because the circumstances in them are different. Remember God intends for all things to work together for good. God uses each circumstance in our lives as it is coupled together with all of the others to perform that which is good.  The good that he is creating equips and enables us.

How many of you have buried a close family member? Because of it, you have an equipping to reach out to others who are experiencing the same and in fact, you may have a passion to reach out to them.

But at the same time, there may be other people who were only slightly moved by another's great loss. Are they backslidden and cold? Of course not. The difference between the two is there equipping.

Many years ago, I had an earnest passion to serve in the bus ministry and to reach children for Christ. I was so earnest that I judge those who were not burdened for the bus ministry as being backslidden Christians. Sometime much later, I learned the error of my way. I also came to realize that the reason I was so burdened and faithful to the bus ministry was because of my equipping.

I cannot set a standard to which all believers should be measured and neither should anyone else. When they do as I did, they count themselves as one of the number and measure all people to themselves.

We must recognize that we are distinct individuals whose purpose for living will be determined by God. He will equip us for that purpose and empower us to accomplish his will.

Your life may look and be completely different than mine and that is okay.  You are distinctly different.  What you must not do is allow someone to set a standard of their imagination and expect you and everyone else to measure up to it.  You may hear and see people do this and if you fall for this trap, you are unwise.

God made you in your distinct way.  Seek his face.  Ask him if you are reaching the potential that he has set for you.  Thank him for the work that he is doing and has accomplished in your life and as you walk with God, yield to him and the work of grace that he wants to perform distinctly in you.