by Rachael M. Colby @RachaelColby7
Sometimes I think of other writers and chide myself for not being further along. Comparison is a wretched road that leads to self-doubt, discouragement, and discontent. When I compare my status with others, it drains my mental, emotional, and spiritual energy. I remind myself, start where you are. That’s where God meets us.
There is a chasm of difference between begrudging someone’s good fortune, abilities, or ministry, versus admiring and desiring their gifting and asking our heavenly Father to bless us likewise. Elisha asked for a double portion of the prophet Elijah’s spirit (a heart for God and His people, faith, anointing, and ministry) and received it. *1 To harbor envy because of someone else’s ability or success is like accusing God of denying what’s best for us. God is the good Father who delights in giving to His children and encourages us to bring all our requests to Him.
I’ve seen envy embitter and rob people of the joy of what they already possess. With God’s help, I choose to rejoice when others flourish. Doing so buoys my spirits even when personal circumstances threaten to crush me.
God makes the path, sets the pace, extends His hand toward us, and offers to patiently, lovingly lead us into the perfect plans He has for us.
God doesn’t reward or rebuke based on our type or level of gifting or the number of them. In Matthew 25:14–30, the master praised and rewarded the progress of the servant entrusted with two talents (a measure of money in biblical times), though he hadn’t produced as much as the one who had five. However, he rebuked the servant who failed to invest the one talent of money he’d been given, and instead, buried it.
We err when we focus on our lack and inability rather than on God’s ability to enable us to accomplish His will. He knows our weaknesses; He is our help. God is pleased and blesses us when we’re faithful stewards of what He’s given us. There are no insignificant tasks when we’re doing what God calls us to do.
As potters decide the use of the vessels they create, and their skilled craftmanship determines the value, so it is with us. We are clay, and Jesus—God incarnate, is the Master Potter.
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 NKJV)
Who are we to question the Maker? He makes no duplicates, so why compare? We aren’t the product of an assembly line, but intentionally created as one of a kind. Besides, comparing ourselves distracts us from preparing and fine tuning our skills for the work God has for us. It’s far more productive to hone what we have than to bemoan what we lack. Perhaps the reason our gifts and timing differ is because of whose needs we’re called to meet.
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. (Galatians 6:4 NLT)
While I’m grateful for those who inspire, challenge, and teach me, I trust Jesus, the Master Artist, to define my identity and design my destiny.
What has God called you to do? Do that. What are your gifts? Don’t doubt them—develop them. We can attain nothing greater than fulfilling His will for our lives.
Sometimes Jesus dazzles with His beautiful, elaborate, multi-talented, high-producing, smooth-skilled creations. And sometimes He amazes by the mighty ways He uses the small and simpler things, the weaker ones (like me) who must depend on, lean on Him if we don’t want to misstep.
“Come,” He says, “follow Me.”
I often think of the words Jesus spoke to the apostle Paul. They hang on my office wall: And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians12:9 NKJV)
The goal of faith-based writing isn’t self-exultation, but God’s glorification and the edification of others. If we focus on that, we’ll have nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing to be proud of either, because our gifting and the opportunity to serve with them are all given by God.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17 NKJV)
*1 2 Kings 2:1-14
TWEETABLE
Rachael is an award-winning writer in the categories of articles, devotions, essays, poetry, flash fiction, and children’s picture books. She is a longtime member of The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild and a protégé in the Cecil Murphey Mentoring program.
Her work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, online publications, anthologies, and the Oak Ridger newspaper.
This Jamaican-born wife, mom, beach bum, artist, work in progress, makes her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on copious amounts of coffee, chocolate, and a whole lot of “Help me, Jesus,” and blogs at TattooItOnYourHeart.com.
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