I'm Still Learning

Have you ever had one of those days where God teaches you a lesson when you’re not even looking? Well, I had one of those moments recently, and those moments are so special because they are a reminder of how blessed I am. I woke up that morning expecting it to be another normal day—you know, the kind where you get up, get ready, go to work, go to the gym, come home and eat dinner, and then relax until bedtime. In the midst of my normal day God brought across my path a situation that opened my eyes to the realities of those who surround me every day.

It’s funny how God brings along this type of day when you are in the midst of worrying about things you have no control over. These are the days when you try everything possible to gain control, which only leads to stress. Worse, it causes you to forget how great the God we serve is and to lose sight of why we are here. We are here to bless others with the love of Christ that lives inside of us. I’m not going to share the details of what happened because to me that is not important, but instead I’m going to share what God taught me that day.

First, don’t judge others based on what you think they should be. There are times in my life—not very often, but it happens—when I am quick to judge somebody else because I feel like they should be doing or progressing more than they are in their walk with God. This is unfair because God did not appoint me to be the judge of anybody but myself. Second, I don’t know why God made all of us so different, but he did. What is simple and takes no effort on my part may be very difficult for someone else to accomplish. Don’t judge others based off of your skills and abilities but instead try to understand where they are coming from. Tami will often call me when she is driving someplace and needs my help to get there. I know she’s been there before, so I want to ask: why is it so hard? That is the wrong attitude and leads to frustration and stress. Instead, I need to understand that God created Tami the way she is (directionally challenged), and I need to accept this and help bring peace to her life, not make it worse. Last of all, God will take each of us with our weaknesses and help us grow through them if we step out in faith. There are a lot of things in life that I’m not very good at, but that is not the issue. The issue is: what am I going to do to get better in those areas? Now, for many of them I have no desire to get better because they don’t really serve a purpose in the life God is calling me to live. But there are also those areas where God is wanting me to grow, and I need to face the challenges and become stronger in those areas of my life.

God has an amazing plan for your life and for your family. That plan will only be achieved when you understand that you have to face your limitations and insecurities and trust that by faith God will help you become strong in your weaknesses. Paul spoke about this in 2 Corinthians 12:9 where it says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”