Without a
doubt, the last few months have been a real trial for me in terms of time and
responsibilities. One too many projects have slowly stolen away at my ability
to share with you on this forum weekly. My commitment to you sis, is that I’m
right here, regardless. Thank you for your regular feedback and for letting me
know this blog is speaking to you one way or the other, as we walk this walk of
me being uniquely me, and you being uniquely you.
doubt, the last few months have been a real trial for me in terms of time and
responsibilities. One too many projects have slowly stolen away at my ability
to share with you on this forum weekly. My commitment to you sis, is that I’m
right here, regardless. Thank you for your regular feedback and for letting me
know this blog is speaking to you one way or the other, as we walk this walk of
me being uniquely me, and you being uniquely you.
A comment was
posted last week from a reader who on one hand said a kind word about the post,
and then made an odd (sarcastic?) remark about how the posts were ‘a bit too brief for beginners’ and could
I ‘please prolong them next time?’ I
will admit for a second I was taken aback for a second, and then I had a hearty
chuckle as I thought how happy I would be to oblige, lol. Please forgive me “Anonymous’,
but I have said in a few of my earlier posts, that I don’t do ‘brief’. This blog
is not designed to do cute and conventional! I write from the heart as the Holy
Spirit leads. Truth is that for as many that like to read the small books,
there are many more who like the huge 1000-page books that run into volumes 1,
2 and 3. I do however appreciate the feedback and indeed this comment has
inspired this particular post. Thank you and thank you again.
posted last week from a reader who on one hand said a kind word about the post,
and then made an odd (sarcastic?) remark about how the posts were ‘a bit too brief for beginners’ and could
I ‘please prolong them next time?’ I
will admit for a second I was taken aback for a second, and then I had a hearty
chuckle as I thought how happy I would be to oblige, lol. Please forgive me “Anonymous’,
but I have said in a few of my earlier posts, that I don’t do ‘brief’. This blog
is not designed to do cute and conventional! I write from the heart as the Holy
Spirit leads. Truth is that for as many that like to read the small books,
there are many more who like the huge 1000-page books that run into volumes 1,
2 and 3. I do however appreciate the feedback and indeed this comment has
inspired this particular post. Thank you and thank you again.
Just lastweek, I found myself in the middle of one of those rather engaging discussions regarding
life and living. As we discussed the many pressures we face from family, the work place,
etc, many diverse opinions and perspectives were played out. Things really took an interesting turn when
the point about the kinds of pressures we impress, unsolicited, upon ourselves
was raised. The question was, ‘Why do we inadvertently try to conform to the expectations/conventions
of others?’ It is almost amusing how the immediate reaction of most people is
to deny conformity, but the realities belie the fact. Any deep and honest period
of introspection will bring the very best of us to the realization that we have
been conditioned from birth to conform to certain environmental, familial or
societal expectations, the most basic of which are now so ingrained that they have since become
our very own norms. Anything wrong with this? Not necessarily, no!
I had wondered
out loud however, why as mature adults we unwittingly, and sometimes willingly,
put ourselves under the pressure of trying to conform to the conventions of ‘people’.
Why do we find it so hard to defy convention? From the big things to the small
seemingly unimportant things, we find it more comfortable to swim with the
tide. Why, pray tell, do we get so hung up on what ‘people’ will say or think? Yet, we all want to make a difference? Hmmm! I wonder, why for instance, I should limit my
posts to 600 words each because someone/group somewhere have ‘established’ that
that is the number of words that holds the attention of ‘most’ people (never
mind that they polled only 100,000 out of the hundreds of millions who can and
do read)? Why should I not be true to myself because the conventions of man demand
otherwise? Why shouldn’t I do ‘Me’, and why can’t you just do ‘You’, sis?
out loud however, why as mature adults we unwittingly, and sometimes willingly,
put ourselves under the pressure of trying to conform to the conventions of ‘people’.
Why do we find it so hard to defy convention? From the big things to the small
seemingly unimportant things, we find it more comfortable to swim with the
tide. Why, pray tell, do we get so hung up on what ‘people’ will say or think? Yet, we all want to make a difference? Hmmm! I wonder, why for instance, I should limit my
posts to 600 words each because someone/group somewhere have ‘established’ that
that is the number of words that holds the attention of ‘most’ people (never
mind that they polled only 100,000 out of the hundreds of millions who can and
do read)? Why should I not be true to myself because the conventions of man demand
otherwise? Why shouldn’t I do ‘Me’, and why can’t you just do ‘You’, sis?
You and I
are created uniquely by the Master craftsman Himself. Our Lord God omnipotent
thought you through from your end and back to your beginning. He breathed His glorious life into you and put some amazing gifts
in you that He longs to see you use to the fullest. You are called forth
to show His glory, to work His plans and purpose, to bless the earth and to be
a blessing to unborn generations. I promise you this, sis: you cannot live to
the fullness of your God-given potential…. you cannot live a fulfilled life, if
you allow yourself be pressured into conforming. The one sure thing that you and
I need to do, is to take our eyes off from the apparent acceptance of man, keep our eyes steadfastly fixed on Him, keep our ears fully attentive to His instructions,
so that in our being and doing, we will conform to His expectations of each of us. You have to do ‘YOU’,
sis! You must! And I have to do ‘ME’. Nothing else would truly give God all the glory.
are created uniquely by the Master craftsman Himself. Our Lord God omnipotent
thought you through from your end and back to your beginning. He breathed His glorious life into you and put some amazing gifts
in you that He longs to see you use to the fullest. You are called forth
to show His glory, to work His plans and purpose, to bless the earth and to be
a blessing to unborn generations. I promise you this, sis: you cannot live to
the fullness of your God-given potential…. you cannot live a fulfilled life, if
you allow yourself be pressured into conforming. The one sure thing that you and
I need to do, is to take our eyes off from the apparent acceptance of man, keep our eyes steadfastly fixed on Him, keep our ears fully attentive to His instructions,
so that in our being and doing, we will conform to His expectations of each of us. You have to do ‘YOU’,
sis! You must! And I have to do ‘ME’. Nothing else would truly give God all the glory.
Can I ask
you to quietly and honestly answer these questions to yourself if you will. Do you
have a constant yearning in your heart to do more and be more? Do you envy (err…
sorry sis, no sugar coating on this one. It’s envy! Let’s call it as it is, and
the Lord will help us) someone else who has achieved some milestone(s) that you
know/believe you could have/should have achieved? Do you find yourself – glad for
your friend/sister/colleague, yes; but also quietly asking God when your own recognition/promotion/financial
breakthrough/etc will come? Do you ever find yourself inwardly resentful (even if ever so slightly) because you feel so much more deserving of something than someone else? Ouch! Oh
boy!
you to quietly and honestly answer these questions to yourself if you will. Do you
have a constant yearning in your heart to do more and be more? Do you envy (err…
sorry sis, no sugar coating on this one. It’s envy! Let’s call it as it is, and
the Lord will help us) someone else who has achieved some milestone(s) that you
know/believe you could have/should have achieved? Do you find yourself – glad for
your friend/sister/colleague, yes; but also quietly asking God when your own recognition/promotion/financial
breakthrough/etc will come? Do you ever find yourself inwardly resentful (even if ever so slightly) because you feel so much more deserving of something than someone else? Ouch! Oh
boy!
Let’s be
honest sis. We have – each and every one of us, been in one or more of these
places… and sometimes in all of them at the same time, at one point or the
other in our lives. A question to self would be how much more we could have
achieved if we had been more willing to defy conventions and be true to the
innermost desires of our hearts? How different would our lives have been if we
were bold enough to stand alone in the crowd? How much more fulfilled would you
be sis, if you had given full expression to your gifts and aspirations,
regardless of what may have been the more conventional way of doing things? Are
you stifling that something within you that desperately desires to break forth
and shine through, because convention says it ought not be done? Because convention make an odd remark about it, or doesn’t even have an idea what it would look like?
honest sis. We have – each and every one of us, been in one or more of these
places… and sometimes in all of them at the same time, at one point or the
other in our lives. A question to self would be how much more we could have
achieved if we had been more willing to defy conventions and be true to the
innermost desires of our hearts? How different would our lives have been if we
were bold enough to stand alone in the crowd? How much more fulfilled would you
be sis, if you had given full expression to your gifts and aspirations,
regardless of what may have been the more conventional way of doing things? Are
you stifling that something within you that desperately desires to break forth
and shine through, because convention says it ought not be done? Because convention make an odd remark about it, or doesn’t even have an idea what it would look like?
All through
the Bible, the Lord asks various people to work what they have already in
their hands, and each time great exploits came out of their obedience. Interestingly enough, our Lord moved and continues to move in
rather creative ways…. a la talking donkeys, water out of
rocks, parting of seas, spit and mud, et
al. We serve a God that is innovation and creativity in Himself. One thing is clear to me, as long as
we are filled with His Spirit and offer ourselves willingly to be led by Him,
we cannot be at peace until we come to the place of being our unique Spirit-led
selves exclusively.
the Bible, the Lord asks various people to work what they have already in
their hands, and each time great exploits came out of their obedience. Interestingly enough, our Lord moved and continues to move in
rather creative ways…. a la talking donkeys, water out of
rocks, parting of seas, spit and mud, et
al. We serve a God that is innovation and creativity in Himself. One thing is clear to me, as long as
we are filled with His Spirit and offer ourselves willingly to be led by Him,
we cannot be at peace until we come to the place of being our unique Spirit-led
selves exclusively.
God has a surecalling for you, sis. He has a sure calling for me. I can assure you though, that
you and I are not called to the entire world. No! He has called you to some and called the next person to yet others. Don’t worry about what your
sister/brother/friend/colleague is doing, being or achieving. Don’t focus on
what everyone else expects you to be, do, or achieve. Just hold on to God… the
One Who created YOU; the One Who can fill YOU, and the only One Who can fulfill
YOU. In this place of submission, the Lord will direct your path; He will order
your steps. He will make your assignment clear; He will give you the boldness to express yourself, and by the power
of His Spirit, you will make purposeful impact in the lives of those to whom He
has assigned YOU.
Ask God
today to help you to always do ‘YOU’, sis. I mean, just look at you….. You are
a masterpiece! A divinely crafted original! Don’t allow the conventions of men
steal away from your destiny! Just do YOU, sis. Just be ‘Uniquely You!’
today to help you to always do ‘YOU’, sis. I mean, just look at you….. You are
a masterpiece! A divinely crafted original! Don’t allow the conventions of men
steal away from your destiny! Just do YOU, sis. Just be ‘Uniquely You!’
In the
eyes of our Father, that’s the most awesome that you can be.
eyes of our Father, that’s the most awesome that you can be.
The Lord will help you, sis. He will help me.
Be blessed
sis… for you surely are!
sis… for you surely are!
'Lengthy' here defines depth…this is rich and deep. It is always, always easier to gain insights from your write-ups because they come soooo real. Weldone Sis.
WOW! This is inspiring. It spoke to my heart. Totally agree with you, Sis. I can't be at peace until I come to the place of being my unique spirit-led self! I tried to conform and do "brief" too, but it just wasn't me. So I resolved to be "me" and pass the message on my heart as led. Thanks for the encouragement.
Ooh, you went there this week girl! This just speaks to me about the absolute requirement to be authentic. You can't excel if you are too busy copying someone else. You also can't do your best work if you aren't being authentic. It's an ongoing process, but with God we will get there.
Be blessed
Ooh, you really went there this week! This speaks to me about the importance of being authentic. It's impossible to be authentic, if you are busy trying to conform. It's also impossible to do your best work (whatever that might be) if you are not authentic.
I have always found it difficult to conform completely. Thankfully, with age and more importantly with Christ, I've learned to accept myself-quirks and all