Its Not About You

Your calling is not for you. Your testimony is not for you. Your deliverance is not for you. All these are for the King.

Theres someone that needs you to do what God called you to do. Theres someone waiting for you to show up where God told you to go. Theres someone that needs to hear your story.  Someone needs to know freedom is possible.

After awhile you should’ve realized this whole thing is not about you. This is God’s story. How He created the heavens and Earth. Its the story of how He loved us and wanted us to purposefully choose Him, how He never stopped coming for us. Its His story inside and out. He is the producer, director,  script writer, set design, musical score, sound guy and leading man. We are just the extras in the background, but He knows us by name, individually, intimately and uniquely.

Accepting this truth is the greatest self- actualization. The achievement of one’s own potential through God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.

When you take yourself out of the equation theres freedom to live as God intended. It takes the pressure off. If we fail, God is Good. If we succeed, God is Good. It was never about us anyway. We’ve gotten it all wrong reading Genesis first. We interpret God creating the heavens and Earth before us as Him creating it for us. This is not the case. Defining moments happened before us, before Genesis 2:7. This is God’s story and we should feel honored we get to be a part of it.

Isaiah 14:12-17 details satan forced out of Heaven. Luke 10:18 Jesus says He remembers seeing satan falling out of Heaven like lightening in the sky. This event predates our arrival in Eden.

There were acts taking place before and more to come after us. We are just players in Act II.  The backdrop of Genesis is to display God’s power, creativity, authority and love.

So if this story is not about us, what about Jeremiah 29:11? It is often quoted on anything from decor to coffee mugs,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Isnt God saying we will be prosperous? That we will have great things happen to us? Isnt it saying God doesn’t want us to hurt or be uncomfortable? Typically this is the verse that makes us feel good about our future. No matter where we find ourselves in life, this truth stands the test of time to give us assurance that God is for us not against us. However, we mistakenly interpret this verse to mean God will cosign on our plans or that our plans and God’s plans are a match. Even further, that we will recognize and agree with His plans. Some can take this to mean that if I feel harmed or feel that I am not prosperous  (by human definition or an American definition) then it must not be of God. If I’m suffering (even by my own hand, facing the consequences of my sins, facing the after-math of my own poor decision making, or by the sins of others, the poor decision making of others) then this must not be God’s plan.

Because this is God’s story He is gracious enough to give us all almost 100 years to get in line. The average lifespan for humans is 79. Of course many people live longer and we celebrate those that reach over 100 years old. So what do we have to show for those 80 years?

The most miserable people I know are those that are solely focused on themselves. They cannot fully empathize with others, are rarely interested in others (unless they are comparing themselves with another person), they rarely inconvenience themselves for others, they are extremely deflated in the presence of others, they dont function efficiently amongst others. When we are so self-focused we will become anxious, depressed and hopeless. We are imperfect subjects, if you refuse to admit that and take it to the Cross- you will be miserable. Because what hope can you have knowing how imperfect you are? That it is a huge bummer. You are actually heirs to the Messiah, the only divine human that transcended the human limitations of death. If you really knew deep inside the cells of your body that you were Loved beyond human understanding by a cosmic intergalactic Source wouldn’t you be emboldened to give this life your best shot? Knowing whether you win or lose, You still Win! We win because its not about us! We win because God is Good!

God gives us victory.                                     He opens doors.                                             He provides.                                                    He protects.                                                    He gives.                                                         He loves supernaturally.

When things don’t go your way, they’re most likely going God’s way. Submit to it and keep it push’n. Get out of God’s way and there is where you’ll find peace.

 

Related Reading:

https://relevantmagazine.com/life5/god-doesnt-want-live-comfort-zone/

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1574103102653871&id=191900549668