March 22, 2015

Stop Copying Others

 

When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

-- John 21:21-22

What is it that we are so intent on fixing ourselves by being like someone else? We are each unique, with a different path to take. Why can't we embrace that?

I do understand the need sometimes to research options and study what others have done. It helps us keep from making unnecessary mistakes and it helps us get a feel for what we like and what we don't. But there comes a point in time when you really have to push all that aside and do whatever it is that God has called you to do.

I realize it's easier to copy someone else than it is to spend time in prayer and reflection to determine God's will for your life. It also can be difficult to push aside our pride to admit that maybe we're headed in the wrong direction. That's especially true when what we're doing involves a group of people. We'd rather stay on the wrong path than admit we're on the wrong path.

We can't understand why other people, other churches, make it work. From the outside, the efforts of others look so easy. Maybe it really was. When we are in God's will, things have a way of falling in place. When we are putting Him first, He tends to clear our path.

Or maybe we just can't see the years of hard work that has gone into what seems easy and successful today. Remember everything starts with a dream but that dream almost always brings hard work before it brings success.

What is your motivation? You can't build success for God when you are doing it for your glory instead of His. And you can't draw people in when you're trying to draw people toward you instead of toward Him. Denial doesn't work. Neither do excuses. Remember that God sees the heart. What is your heart telling you?

None of us will ever take a perfect path to where we want to go. As much as we may want to follow God exactly right, we'll miss the mark again and again. But copying someone else isn't the answer. Look inside, find God's will for your life, and move in that direction instead.