Your Journey is Unique
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Our church just finished a series on the Ten Commandments. This particular story in the Bible is a passage that, as an adult, I do not give as much focus to when I'm reading the Word. I think there are so many great lessons to be learned about the Israelites and their journey out of Egypt, but when it comes to the Ten Commandments, I would say that I've always skimmed over that part. So it was refreshing to go deeper into the Ten Commandments and find even more truth in it than simply do not lie, cheat, and steal. And in this particular season of my life, it was a much needed reminder. Throughout the ten week series, the focus has been on this:
In every commandment, there is a principle to follow and a blessing for obedience.
I've been going through some pretty tough stuff for the last year. It's actually been the most difficult time of my entire life. But it's been through this particular season, that I have committed to focusing my eyes on Christ and trust in the promises in the Word of God. I do not want my own strength, or the false securities that this world offers, to pull me through. I want HIS strength. I know that in spite of what my head sometimes tells me, that He is the ultimate Healer, my Defender, and my Shelter from this storm. I KNOW that He will make something beautiful out of a mess that Satan has tried to create. I have made a choice that through the hurt and pain, I will remain obedient to God's Word, because I also know that blessings ALWAYS follows obedience.
The last sermon on the Ten Commandments was focused on Deuteronomy 5:21 "And you shall not covet..." We all know what coveting is... wishing we had something that someone else has. And so enters the comparison game. It is a TERRIBLE game to play on yourself!! It really is the thief of joy. When we start comparing ourselves to others and coveting what they have, we will slowly start becoming unappreciative of the things that we have in our own life, and its just one of the many ways that Satan can sneak his way into our life and feed our mind with lies. One of the greatest lies we start believing when we play this comparison game is not trusting that God is supplying us with our needs. This is where my love/hate relationship with social media comes in. I have found myself recently seeing friend's social media posts wishing that I could celebrate the same things that they get to celebrate. I would see their happy life, and their happy family, and their happy posts, all the while thinking, "must be nice..." If this is you, STOP!!! Stop doing that to yourself. Your life, you journey, is unique. It can be no one else's, but your own. As our Pastor was closing the service to the lesson on the 10th Commandment, he gave some "truth" that I needed to be aware of. He went into the root meaning of the word, NEEDS.
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19.
The word "needs" does not simply mean what we desire to have. It is specifically referring to the provision for our own unique journey. And that is why it is so important not to compare ourselves to others. You cannot covet what someone else has in their life because God's provision are unique for YOU. He is molding beautiful things for your life. This season of pain that I'm in is, of course, something that I wish I did not have to go through. But God has this miraculous capability of turning ugly situations that Satan tries to create into beautiful masterpieces when we place our faith and trust in Him. When I start comparing my life to others, I can quickly forget the work that Jesus in doing in my life. And He IS working.
Considering the devastation that Satan has tried to create this past year, I could not be more thankful for where I am right now. Yes, the trials are hard. Yes, the pain is deep at times, but I see God's provision. And the great thing is that I know the best is yet to come. I know this because I have decided to put my trust 100% in Christ, and there's no where else I would want to put my life than in the hands of Jesus Christ.
Do not covet. Do not play the comparison game. And watch the blessings that come from putting your trust in God knowing that He is fully capable of providing for your unique journey.
