Last night I read a blog post written by my friend's daughter. I loved her honesty and her heart. Here's her blog post With Songs of Joy. When I read this post last night, God smacked me right between the eyes. I've been struggling with trying to squeeze myself into another person's spot within the Inspirational blogging community, that isn't for me. I have my own lane that God has created for me and I need to stay there because that is where I will do my best for God's kingdom.
As Hannah says in this post, You are that person for someone, and someone is that person for you, but no one is that person for everyone because we’re all unique in our gifts – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) We are his workmanship, uniquely and wonderfully made; each one of us differently, each one of us loved perfectly.
For some crazy reason I thought I had to up my game to be what another person is in her sphere of influence because I thought I was lesser than.Which was never the case.
What's really weird about this is that until a year ago I had never had this problem, and I've been reviewing for almost eleven years. But . . . until a year ago my health had been pretty much all over the place. My seizures were not under control and as of today I am nine months seizure free. Which I haven't been seizure free that long since I had brain surgery in 2004. My Rheumatoid Arthritis was way out of control as well. I could hardly move, and was in a lot of pain. With those two things under control, what was left open for the lying snake, satan, to attack? My blogging and reviewing. He's tried going after my kids but I'm pretty good about giving that right back over to God and he knows he's been had. So he went for something wide open, and unprotected. Not that God isn't a huge part of my blogging but I think I left it on auto-pilot just doing what I do not even thinking that satan would mess with it. Boy was I wrong! He went after it with a vengeance and since I wasn't paying attention he had a hay day creating dissension and attacking my self worth as not only a person, but as a reviewer/influencer, something I identify with.
So, what's my point with this post . . .
Take a moment and reflect as we come to the end of the year, is there a place where you are feeling less than, sensing dissension that you haven't noticed before? If so, check and see if the lying snake is distracting you to focus on something related but unnecessary. That is his MO, he is sneaky and dissension is his favorite playground. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. We have to stay alert, he wants to devour us all!
11 comments:
Thank you so much for this post, Andi! And for sharing the other post with me yesterday. It's so easy to get caught up in the comparison game, isn't it? Especially when we're not paying attention to what the enemy is up to - where we don't expect him to be. I have to remind myself of this more often than I wish I did. A good post to reread at the beginning of each week :)
P.S. - you are so valuable to the reviewing/blogging community. God has given you a heart for authors and books and it's a privilege to walk alongside you in this common purpose!
You are so welcome, Carrie! I am so happy that I shared it with you, too! You know I always seem blown away with God's mysterious ways even though I've seen them, and I'm also blown away by satan's antics too! Why?!?!? Makes no sense to me.
I know I will be reading Hannah's post each week to remind myself as well.
Thanks for the kudos! I appreciate that! I love your heart for authors and books, too! Your creativity is fun, and I also find it a privilege to walk alongside you as we strive to introduce readers to these amazing authors!
Thanks Andi! I always struggle with feeling less than...your post (and Hannah's) have been an encouragement the last two day. Love you!
You are welcome! I’m glad that what I said encouraged you, and thankful that Hannah wrote her post and you shared it. Love you!
In the blogging world we should all be as God sees us: equals! Both of these posts are beautifully written and a wonderful reminder that we aren’t less than this blogger or that blogger but that we are our own blogger and the authors need us ALL! Thank you for sharing this with us, Andi!
Hi Molly!
Thanks for stopping by, and for your sweet words. I whole-heartily agree! I believe that satan does all he can to bring division and when we are occupied with what I would call stupid stuff we get caught up in it too.
Hugs and Love!
Yes. God made us to be individuals in the Body of Christ.
Hi Melissa,
So true. The problem with being human is we forget, and or we get distracted which allows that evil snake to cause all kinds of havoc. Something he is really good at. :)
Sweet girl, so glad you shared!! i spent (wasted) so many years of my life trying to be somebody (ANYbody) else. now i know who i am in Him, i don't need to try to measure up to nuthin!! Father has given each of us our own shoes to wear and path to walk! shine where He leads you, girl friend, and do what you do best in your own unique way!
Robin,
Thanks! I am glad I wrote this post too. I spent a lot of wasted years too. Thinking I was a less than mom because I was fighting an illness, which led me to be a pretty awful mom. I honestly thought that I was done with comparing myself to others, which is what opened the door for the sneaky, lying snake, satan to mess around there. My desire has always been for my blog to be a light for Him, and since I wasn't keeping a hedge of protection around it, he just snuck in and created all kinds of havoc.
I'm with ya, Gurl! God's given me my shoes, rather cowboy boots ;) and I am going to walk in them. XOXO
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