Dare To Shine

When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either. ~ Leo Burnett

 

Discouragement is a part of life. We set goals for ourselves and fall short. Somehow the scale never quite gets as low as we wish. Somehow the paycheck never gets quite as high as we wish.

 

Day after day we slosh along, getting swallowed by the mud of mediocrity … but do we really need to?

 

I am not as good a cook as my girlfriend, whose food is amazing. It’s a talent for her, that lets her shine. She even reads gourmet cookbooks for fun. (I prefer Jane Austen!)  However, I am a much better cook than I was 10 years ago.

 

I am not in the ideal physical shape as another girlfriend, who is a personal trainer and nutritionist. However, my daily habits over the years of exercising and eating healthily are helping me to live the active lifestyle I enjoy.

 

Am I getting swallowed up by mediocrity or am I doing pretty well on many fronts?

 

Too often we compare ourselves to one another, and, in our world of constant social media, it’s easily done.

 

Look for Righteous Examples

 

Looking for righteous examples to emulate and follow has helped me in life. I believe all of us should actively look for those around us who we can pattern ourselves on and learn from.

 

Every single person you meet has some skill or life experience that can bless your own life. One of my favorite activities is sitting and really talking with someone—I always walk away impressed with that person. You see, I’ve never met someone who isn’t amazing!  Everyone has an area where they really shine.

 

In looking for examples to follow, I reached out to my afore-mentioned friend. I have become a better cook, in part, because I enjoy spending time with and learning from her experience in the kitchen. Watching her prepare food and seeing how she makes certain dishes has taught me a lot!

 

I have learned much over the years from great examples of faith and righteous living. I watched as others face hardships with faith and learned that life is not easy for any of us. True leaders are those, who even during their own trials, still serve the Lord. 

 

The problem with comparing ourselves is that we take our lives, which are intended to be gorgeous, multi-faceted gems and we make them into two-dimensional, flat pieces of paper. I think you are more than just one talent, don’t you?

 

Look to God

 

It is the Lord’s pattern to give us righteous examples to emulate and follow. However, it is Satan’s counterfeit to tempt us to compare ourselves with someone else to determine our worth.

 

What an incredibly nasty and successful plan of attack! Our minds stuck in the rut of comparing and feeling mediocre, while precious time and mental energy is wasted! Lives slowly ticking away, second by depressing second, squandered through constant scrolling through someone else’s life, wishing we had what they seem to have.

 

Instead, look for ways to expand our own unique God-given talents!

 

What if for one day, we gave ourselves permission to turn off the voice of comparing in our minds and just freed ourselves to fully embrace the unique beauty found in our own lives? How gloriously beautiful would that be … just thinking about it has me taking a deeper breath. My forehead relaxed a bit and I feel … lighter!

 

Let’s agree to give ourselves permission to shine in our own lights, each unique facet gloriously reflecting the light of Christ within. Let’s stop trying to live someone else’s destiny and embrace our own!