By Josephine Lim
We can easily get discouraged whenever we watch TV, read the news and magazines, or hear about how successful or rich some people are. Our hearts long to be like them, to be intelligent like them, to be very rich like them, to be famous like them and finally how we wish we could be like them. When we realised how far-off we are compared to them we feel depressed and began to lose strength and joy of living.
By staying true to yourself (being yourself), you'll become the best of you according to God's plan and purpose for your life. You're not a copycat of others and that's why God created us distinctly unique, different from anybody else. No one shares the same finger print or iris/retinal pattern with another. No one is exactly the same as another not even identical twins. God cherish uniqueness and He loves us just the way we are and just the way we were born and just the way we turn out to be. Know and recognise what's inside of us. What is God's call and gifts He has placed in us and excel and use it for His glory to serve others. We are like no other. We have different calls and gifts that together with our unique God-given talents we complement each other beautifully. Our success is not measured by our fame neither by our fortune but true success is measured by true fulfilment in doing what we are doing and the lives we have touched, built and edified according to God's will and purpose. At the end of our lives, naked we came into the world, naked we shall depart and it's the legacy we leave behind - how much we have blessed others with our God-given wealth, intelligence, strength, resources, gifts, etc.
No matter how rich we are, there will always be somebody else richer. No matter how smart or intelligent we are, there will always be others more advance and intelligent. No matter how famous one can be, there will always be somebody else much more sought-after and adored by legend of fans in comparison. We will never be satisfied if we start comparing with others but learn to appreciate yourself, accepting who you are and know your worth. Let no man or the world categorise you as you are beyond that. Don't live life through people's eyes and views. Let's live life through the eyes of Christ and according to His Word: Psalm 139:14 " I praise you (God) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Don't change yourself just to get someone else's approval and acceptance. Change because you want to for God, for yourself and for the betterment of your service in God's Kingdom otherwise the change will not sustain and soon you will go back to your old ways. Change with the right motive and the right mind-set that is God-centred and then your life will impact the lives of others much more.
Believe this my friend: For those of you who are looking for soul-mate, God has prepared someone for you that will love and appreciate you just the way you are. For those of you who are seeking employment or solicit business opportunities or launch your career, you don't have to over-promise your abilities or potentials, stay true to what you know and can do and what you really want to do for the organisation, surely God will grant you favour in the eyes of the employer/business associates/agency seeing your potential and give you the upper hand in their selection and decision. It's your uniqueness and focus as well as realising God's touch of favour in your life that will get you to the position, time and place that He wants to give you. Stay true to yourself and you'll come to realisation of the great potential God has given us to do great exploits for Him and His Kingdom! Stay true to yourself without comparison, without belittling yourself. You'll then be able to focus and channel all your energy and resources together achieving your dreams and find great satisfaction in the things you do. That's success, that's fulfilment and that's life!
Stay true to yourself and be what God wants you to be! Let not success, wealth and fame be our focus instead make God and His Kingdom our focus and ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance to use our ability, talents and resources according to His will and purpose then we'll be a real blessing to others and find real fulfilment and joy in the process. Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Philippians 4:6-9
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 31:31
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Anita Lustrea described the purpose of her book "What Women Tell Me" wrote,"It is my desire to help free you from the overwhelming message that, as a woman, you are not enough – not strong enough, not beautiful enough, not thin enough, not whole enough. The truth is, none of us is “enough”; that’s where Christ comes in"
I hope this song will encourage you. It's a song from the musical Lend Me A Tenor entitled "Be Yourself" http://tenorthemusical.co.uk/musicplayer/ (click forward to track 2 and be patient to listen till the end and this song will eventually build up beautifully.)
Acknowledge this my friend: You are fearfully (very detailed) and wonderfully made by God. You are a blessing wherever you go!
