Hello and welcome back! I want to thank you for taking the time to check out this post, I pray this transparency mixed with a bit of revelation blesses you. Without further ado allow me to share what the Lord has ministered to me:
As someone who has struggled to relinquish my logical mind for a faith-filled one, I can attest that it is not easy to walk by faith and not by sight. What has made things a tad bit more difficult is the trap of comparison which I found myself in not too long ago. While others were seemingly experiencing ground-breaking new revelations and such in their walk, I felt stagnant in my own. Despite wise counsel and encouragement from vets in the faith I still felt the familiar tug of a past mindset that told me “You’re not doing enough”.
That same mindset had me overexerting myself spiritually while still feeling like I wasn’t growing in the slightest. It was a maddening pit I’d dug myself into but I’m grateful to God for delivering me out of it. Yet, I felt it crop up again recently, partnered with this feeling of missing out. Working at the company I’m at now means I have a different schedule than everyone in my circle(s) with the only commonality being Sundays off. Our days off aren’t in sync so while I may have been able to partake in fellowship in training, now that I’m fully trained and on my production schedule, I can’t fellowship like I used to. Days my church has Bible studies and even weekend events fall on days I work and I don’t get off till later on.
This paired with the monotonous pattern I was noticing in my routine came together to attack my peace of mind, yet the Lord ministered to me one day while I was driving. He reminded me that I’m right where He wants me to be. I’m at the pace that He set. I asked Him to open the door He wanted me to walk through, and as He has times past, He opened this door in particular, knowing that I’d have a different schedule than most. Knowing I’d only be fully available to serve on Sundays. Knowing that I’d encounter these emotions and knowing exactly when to shift my perspective and how. Yes, I am on a different pace than those around me, and that’s okay. The pace I’m at is the pace God set, and anything more would be me taking matters into my own hands. I’m not so prideful as to think just because I am aware of my past mistakes doesn’t mean I can’t make them again. I’m better off staying right where the Lord placed me, being still and knowing that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Leaning not on my own understanding and in all my ways acknowledging Him, knowing that He will direct my path (Proverbs 3:5-6). The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want, He makes me lie down in green pastures and beside still waters (Psalm 23:1-2).
As you can see, the Word is a mighty weapon against the things that hinder our obedience, our peace, and our walk with God. Raising up our shield of faith quenches the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16). Walking by faith isn’t easy, but then again, it’s not always going to be. What helps is to know the God we serve, and what His Word assures us. Take heart today, that even if you feel these negative emotions and mindsets welling up inside you, whether you’ve fallen for the trap of comparison, or battle against feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, the Lord is with you. If you’re ever in a space or a place the Lord hasn’t called you to, He’ll let you know and often times He’ll move us. Walk by faith, and not by sight. Be at peace knowing that even if you’re not going at the same pace as others, you’re going at God’s pace, and that’s all that matters.
I pray this post has blessed you as it has me.
Until next time
–JB
Rnt with JB 