I started my last post with a question. Interestingly, I want to start this post with a question too. So, here’s the question for this post,
“How would you live your life if you only cared about what God thinks and didn’t care about what people think, say or do?”
It is obvious God is using questions to teach me a lot these days. Like while in the place of prayer, a question will just drop in my heart and as I meditate on that question, God will seize the opportunity to teach me a whole lot. The process usually takes more than a day and it’s safe to say I’m enjoying the process.
Now back to the question. So,what would it be like? What would you start doing? What would you stop doing?
Take a moment and think about it. Don’t just continue reading, do take a long pause and actually think about it. If possible, take a pen and a note and jot down all the reasonable and not so reasonable ideas that are coming to mind.
Is it important?
Yes it is. It is actually very important for us to know what life would look like without the interference of people’s opinions, because we are living in a world that naturally makes us put other people’s opinion into consideration before we make choices for ourselves. It is natural for us to want to understand what the norm is or says before we set out to do things.
When we want to plan a surprise birthday party for a friend, we search the net for ideas and templates. Most of us tend to sound the same or almost the same on social media platforms, because when someone invents a style of written expression we believe is “cool” we choose to use that style. We don’t just use it, we teach others to do same, and soon the one that doesn’t know what it means becomes the novice that needs to catch up. It is the same with our fashion.
So yes, it is important. It is important to ask yourself a question that will open you up to yourself. If you take out time to ask yourself that question and patiently write the answers that flows from the truest part of your heart, you’ll truly introduce yourself to the world that dwells on your inside, a world that was put in you by God.
It is easy to get lost
When we spend time following trends and looking at the signs in the world to show us where our north lies, we’ll easy get lost. When we do things because the times and seasons in the world says to do so, we’ll miss the life we’re called to live.
Why do you have a post up on social media? It is because you’re convinced you should be talking about it or because that’s what everybody is talking about and you’ll feel “not included” if you don’t talk about it. Or maybe you can’t stand the judgment you think might come if you don’t join. This was me and I didn’t know how bad it was, until God made me see how I was losing myself because I was trying to fit in and keep up. I would compare my style of writing to others, and wished I could sound like others because I believe “others” were the standard. But I’m not “others” and that’s super awesome. You are not “others” too and that’s awesome too. Actually, standing out from the crowd and “doing you” with your entire focus on Jesus is a sign you’ve welcomed and accepted your God given uniqueness.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should never follow trends. I am also not saying we should disrespect already established standards. I am however saying we shouldn’t do things just because everyone is doing it. We shouldn’t get involved just because we want people to see us get involved. We shouldn’t wear the trending sweat shirt because if we don’t we won’t feel good. We should do things we’re convinced about, and our convictions should come from the Holy Spirit. If you have to do what everyone is doing, let the Holy Spirit “okay” it.
Can we remember the scripture about the broad way and narrow way? Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (NIV)
Read the above scripture again. don’t just read it, take out time to meditate on it.
We serve a God that defiles standards and lives outside trends, times and seasons
You don’t need to be a Christian to know and believe you’re unique. Scientists already have so many prove to affirm the uniqueness of every individual on earth. And if we’re all unique then it means we can’t keep saying “Yes” to everything that comes from the uniqueness of others and not find time to say “Yes” to the things that come from our own uniqueness. It also means that there are things about us that might not resonate with others like it resonates with us.
Now if you’re sold out to Jesus and you believe that God is your heavenly Father, then it gets deeper for you. You’re not just unique, you also serve and believe in a God who doesn’t live in times and seasons and has a track record of breaking standards and templates.
Psalm 90:4 tells us, “For a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.” (ESV) 2 Peter 3:8 reaffirms it, “Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day.” (MSG)
A God who can make a day as good as a thousand years can’t fit into the seasons He created. So, it means if you focus solely on trends, seasons, times, standards and templates…you will miss God’s direction for your life.
Again, how would you live your life if you only cared about what God thinks and didn’t care about what people think, say or do?
Again, it is important to know the answer to this question because our abilities, dreams, desires, passion etc. are ways our uniqueness can find expression. They are pointers that show us what we’re made of and what we should be doing, especially when we are Christians that are delighting ourselves in the Lord. (SEE Psalm 37:4)
Our abilities are given to us by God. It is one thing to identify and build those abilities into skills; it is another thing to really know how to use them for the glory of God. It takes a heart that’s inclined to God to know how to glorify God. A heart that is influenced and directed by trends, times, seasons, templates and standards of this world wouldn’t glorify God because that heart will easily give in to the pressure from the world.
You should know….it wouldn’t always be Rainbow and Sunshine
The reason we quickly follow the track everything in the world points to is simple. It is because it’s easy and convenient. We hate resistance. We hate being judged. We don’t want to look odd and strange. But you should know, a life that is always all about Rainbow and Sunshine isn’t real.
Life takes us through Rainbow and Sunshine and also brings the storm to us. There’s a time when your life will be fun and easy and there will also be a time when life gets hard and tough. Life will always have this perfect balance, whether we like it or we wish it wasn’t so.
You don’t have to do it because everyone is doing it and you don’t have to shy away from it because no one is doing it. You might be struck for it. The criticism might hit so hard. It might cut really deep. Everyone around you might think you’re very wrong for not doing it or for doing it, but you shouldn’t be bothered if that’s what God will have you do or not do. Allow the peace from the Holy Spirit guard and guide you. Refuse to cave in to the pressure that comes from a falling world. Choose to go through the storm instead. The storm won’t last forever, it must surely give way for sunshine, and when sunshine comes you’ll be glad you didn’t give in during the storm.
Live your life the way you would if you only cared about what God thinks and not what humans think, say and do…because your life, the life that was “uniquely designed” by God for you, is yours to live.
My prayer for you and me:
May we learn to love our lives. May we be free from the bondage of humans. May the approval of our heavenly Father be the only approval that matters in our lives. In Jesus’ name…Amen.
Get in the gym and do
Stay Spiritually Fit.
