I used to play volleyball in High School and a bit in college. I loved the game. At 5’4″ with little to no vertical jump, I made a pretty good setter and I served the ball well, but was not really made to fill the other positions. I loved being a setter and the skill and finesse that came with it, but some days I longed to play on the back row. You know, like a receiver. I also had a distinct desire to be a hitter. They got to do exciting this like smash the ball to the other side or make one of those amazing blocks against the other team.
Some days I wanted to be like them. Mostly, though, I just wanted to be able to do it all. I wanted to play every position and play it well. Wants, though, do not always translate into reality. You know it’s true. I was a setter. I was good at that. Somewhere in there I should be satisfied with that.
I was…eventually, but I fall into the same trap again as an adult. How you may ask? Just like you do.
I wake up some days and think I should be just as fast as my friend when we run together or do just as many push-ups. Then I proceed to think that I should be great at homeschooling my kids every day. I love them and they love me so every school day should be a piece of cake. In addition to that, I also believe I should keep house just as clean as my friend up the road. Her house is spotless, I tell you. Cooking? I should be awesome at that too.
This list could go on like this, and then it bubbles over into other things God has called me
to. I teach a Bible study class? That’s right, I should be great at that too–every time. My blog? That too. God has called me to do the whole writing and speaking thing, I should be really good if not amazing at those things as well. It just keeps going.
It smacked me in the face the other day again in the ministry I work on with some other ladies. I get into that mode again of thinking I should be able to create awesome graphics, write challenging Bible studies, do administrative tasks, and anything else. And do them all with skill and expertise unmatched.
Whatever. Just so y’all are tracking, it never works. Never. I don’t know that I have actually been the best at anything, ever, but I also know that being the best or being great at everything is not what He has called me to.
First, God has not called me to do everything. He has only called me to do certain things. I should probably just stick to my own lane, and let others do the same. I need to worry more about whether I am doing the things I am called to do rather than how well I stack up compared to others.
Which leads me to number two, life is not a game of comparisons. It never has been. When I start thinking about whether or not I am good or great or awesome at something, I am using others as a measuring stick. Not good. The only measuring stick I should be comparing myself too is Jesus—and He created grace for that. Thank goodness.
Life is not a competition or a pursuit of greatness. He made me the way I am. I have skills and talents He has given, no doubt, but my job is to do my very best to use them as He leads and leave the rest to Him. It’s not about how fast my friend runs or how well my neighbor cooks or whatever. It is about my pursuit of Jesus.
God reminds me of my volleyball days periodically. He made me to be a setter. He made me to be Kori Yates. That is all. I was not made to be good or great at everything. I was made to be me, something nobody else can be. It’s amazing to me how this lesson comes back to me after all these years. He is continually teaching me–sometimes it’s a repeat lesson.
Do you compare yourself with others? How do you focus on what God has called you to do?
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