Not I but Christ: 2010-06-27

To overcome each test, we must: stop, pray and rest.

Even Jesus had boundaries and limitations. He accepted and embraced them because he trusted His creator, His Father.
Stop comparing yourself with other people, there is no one else like you. There is no comparison. We are each snowflakes, no two are exactly alike. It would be like comparing an orange to a piano. There is no comparison. God does not want cookie cutter Christians or cookie cutter creations for that matter. Stop trying to fit in or be like "them." God made you, to fill a purpose that only you can do. Constant striving to fit in or to be more like "them" is not going to teach anyone anything. "Them" is whoever your them is-we all have them haha pun intended.
You see, God gave us our limitations and boundaries and quirks for a reason. We are all teachers, and when we embrace and accept our limits we are teaching others to accept theirs too. I only know a handful of people who are truly at peace with who they are, true self-acceptance, settled in to who God created them to be. It is few and far between because it is the opposite of what this world calls for us to do. The world wants us to try to fit the mold, strive for success, rid ourselves of our limitations and be perfect and if not, then we are duds. Thankfully we are not of this world, we are just in it. It takes a lot of courage, self-reflection, introspection, and self-awareness to be at peace with yourself. Not many people want to take the time or the energy to look inward.
I am trying to learn how to embrace my limitations as gifts. It is only until I accept them, that I can truly be free and be serene. "Accept the things I cannot change." God knows better than me, and He created me this way, so I will trust Him by accepting all the different parts of me. "In my weakness, He is strong." God does not want me to be superwoman or superhuman for that matter, because then I would get all the glory. It s not about what I do or how hard I work, it is about His grace and His power shining thru my weakness. He gives me limits to slow me down and focus on the specific gifts He wants me to minister to others. I am not supposed to be every part of the body of Christ. I am called to be one specific part, in one specific place. "God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased." 1 Cor. 12:18

My limits keep me from trying to be everything and do everything. If one person could run around and do it all, why would we need the different parts of the body? We would be taking jobs and gifts from others, and also taking the glory from God. So I see my limits as God's direction to keep me on track with what He has purposed me to do. No one else can do my job better than me, and I cannot do anyone else's job better than them.
So I will start calling my limits, assets. One of my assets is that I need alone time to seek refuge in God. To recharge, restore, replenish. I had always looked at this as a bad quality that I got so tired easily or that I had to take extra time to process things. I am starting to see that this is a unique quality and gift. I used to hate being an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), because I need extra time to process. I need refined processing of all the things, energies, feelings...etc that I pick up on throughout the day. And I pick up on a whole lot because I am so receptive and sensitive. But sensitivity is a beautiful quality, it partners with empathy and compassion and insight.

One of my "jobs"/gifts is to empty myself and pour out onto others...pouring out God's love, and my experience, strength and hope to those in need. I fill others up with God. In order to have the strength, energy and resources to pour out, I must continuously be filling myself up with God. I have to stay connected to the source (God). Apart from Him, I can do nothing. So this is why I need extra time, space and quiet in my heavenly Father's presence; so that I don't burnout or become depleted.
Artists are often very different, quirky, eccentric...don't fit in. Unique. Once again, an asset. It is all how you choose to look at it. Perspective and perception is everything. I always pray to see with God's eyes, and not my own. He teaches me to see the beauty in myself and in others. First comes self-awareness, by getting real with yourself and with God, THEN self-acceptance. If you don't know and love all the different parts of you...how can you expect anyone else to? I am learning to embrace those things, accept them and love them. I have to first receive God's love in order to pour it out onto others. This is part of my recharging too, so that I can minister.
So if I am trying to be more like "them" and prove myself all the time to people, I will never be satisfied or truly at peace. "They" are not the standard, Jesus is. If I am people pleasing, then I am not being authentically who God created me to be. Be a God-pleaser by being unashamed of who He created you to be. Be the unedited version of you because no one can be you better. It is a process, and it takes a lot of self-reflection and introspection. Be courageous enough to look inward and then accept God's love by accepting who you are (quirks and all). Be uniquely you. Every character defect or limitation is just a misused or misguided asset. Look at the other side of the coin, and check out the beautiful qualities and assets that God gave to you. Let us be unashamed!

Not I but Christ

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Self-reflection then Self-acceptance

Dedicated to my mom