Where's the Line Between Inspiration and Discouragement

If you’re honest with yourself it is hard not to compare.

It seems to me that we compare most often when things are not going well in our own world. Have you found that to be true?

You received some disappointing news, and you look around and everyone else seems to be having the time of their life. The bad news feels even worse than it probably should because you seem to be the only one with a disaster on your hands. Or your dreams seem to be taking forever to materialize while others seem to breeze from success to success. Why did I get left behind?

But think about it this way…How do you know your dreams are taking longer than they should? How do you know that you are waiting longer than “normal”? You “know” that because you’ve compared your journey with someone else’s. Based on a few exceptional Facebook highlights someone has shared you’ve decided what your normal should look like.

When we compare our journey with those who seem to be moving along faster we always will get discouraged. The boundary line between inspiration and discouragement isn’t always clear. We look to others for what’s possible and to draw inspiration, but it’s just as easy to get discouraged. Remember God is only asking you to walk your walk, not theirs.

For some reason we never think about those who are having to wait even longer than us. When we want a child we can think of everyone who got pregnant on their first try, but never those who suffered for years without a successful pregnancy. We can name overnight successes in our industry, but not those who labored for 20+ years before becoming recognized.

As we compare we get discouraged and then we start to grow bitter and resentful. Sometimes it’s directed at God…others…ourselves…or just life in general.

I remember one time in particular a few Februarys ago that is forever burned into my memory. I was discouraged. I had enough of the “joys” and “benefits” of being a portable church, like the arriving early and leaving late. (Here is a video of just the auditorium set-up & run through to give you an idea.)

I felt myself starting to grow bitter and resentful. God received a daily earful of complaints about life, how unfair my situation was…how this pastor friend had a nice new building…how this pastor friend was given a sizeable gift for another building…and here I am, unloved, forsaken by God in the middle of February in NY with loading in and loading out. It was painfully obvious to me that God loved me less.

Ever felt that way? That God loves you less because…you’re not married…you’re childless…jobless…still renting…you’ve got cancer…

It’s easy to start feeling like the forgotten son (1 Sam. 16:11) in God’s family.

While I was enjoying a good long soaking bath in self-pity, I was reading John 21. When I came toward the end of the chapter, the story was so shocking and real that I felt Jesus had me in mind when He said the words. It’s NOT common that I read the Bible and cry, but that day something inside my soul shifted and I couldn’t hold it in.

Read if for yourself: John 21:18-22

Jesus basically tells Peter about “the wonderful plan God had for his life”…which included a painful death. So what was Peter’s response? “I can’t wait!,” “Sign me up!” or “Now we’re talking!” No, Peter looked back at another disciple (John) who was with them and asked, “What type of wonderful plan do you have for him?” And then this was the part that got me…Jesus said, “What’s it to you what I do with John? You follow me.”

Jesus was saying, I have a plan for your life and I have a plan for John’s life. They’re different. I have different things I want to accomplish through each of you. You walk the path I have laid out for you. You walk your walk and John will walk his. (I can see it now #walkyourwalk.)

Jesus was saying to me, “What’s it to you what I do with this pastor friend? YOU follow me!” (It was so vivid it still chokes me up to think about it.)

You and I will be held accountable not for how we followed someone else’s path or how someone else lived their life or how someone else followed Jesus, but for how we did. God has a unique story He is telling in your life and he has shaped you to live that story right where you are. So live it! Embrace it! Own it!

Don’t fall for the lie that you are the only one that’s not living a pain free life. A pain free path doesn’t exist, but a path of joy does.

You lose your joy when you think your life should be like someone else’s. God already has a Mother Teresa, a Billy Graham, a St. Peter, a St. John, now he needs you to walk your walk as a follower of Him.