Have you found yourself feeling this from time to time? The feeling of inadequacy if what you have or do just "isn't enough." When you don't quite measure up (to whatever scale). I know I have. And it is foolish."...but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding." 2 Corinthians 10:12
For me, it's not the cars, nor the newest and shiniest toys, nor a new hairstyle, make-up and such. For me, the way this lie creeps in is often times through the perception of my home: my family, my marriage, my children, and (most often) my ministry to the Lord. I can find myself buying into the lie that just because my husband and I don't ______ like they do; or because my children just ______ AGAIN; or my impact on my neighborhood/workplace/whatever isn't as big as hers/his (or even as big as I would like it to be!), then I have somehow come up short and have disappointed myself, others, or worse yet, God!
But God tells us what it is that He looks at; how He measures success and greatness: "...man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7. He isn't impressed by shiny things, big productions, or deceptive illusions. He looks at the heart. He looks to the one who is faithful.
"You chose Abraham...You found his heart faithful before You." Nehemiah 9:7,8.
"No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure. My eyes will be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with Me." Psalm 101:5,6.
Faithfulness is what God esteems. And that is what we ought to be striving for. Faithfulness. Not outward appearances.
God has created each of His children with a specific work to do and in a specific place (Eph. 2:10, Acts 17:26). He has equipped and given each of us the grace needed to do the exact work that He has chosen and apportioned for us. "But to each of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift." Ephesians 4:7. Christ sets the measure, not us. It's Him. Let us simply give thanks from a grateful heart for the measure that He chooses to give to us, and not doubt His perfect judgement. Whether the measure is great or small, there is no telling what amazing and great things He can do through a faithful heart!
"'There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people'...Jesus took the loaves and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated [5,000]; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. When they were filled...they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten." John 6:9,11-13.
This little boy had little to offer, but chose to faithfully use what He had and leave the results to Jesus. Let us do the same. Let us set our hearts to faithfulness. To being faithful with whatever tasks or responsibilities He has placed in our lives - whether big or small - and then trust Him with the results. Remembering to give thanks to Him, for it is through His Spirit and power that any good comes from our lives (John 15:5).
So, let us humbly, yet confidently, bring our bread to Jesus and allow others to be fed by Him!
So, let us humbly, yet confidently, bring our bread to Jesus and allow others to be fed by Him!
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