The Invisible Stage
Photo by bantersnaps on Unsplash
I struggled this week to post but not because I didn’t have anything to write about. It’s only been a little over two weeks since I published my blog and I am already feeling the pressure of maintaining it. Why would I be feeling pressure about something I love and something I believe God has given me to do? I have always expressed myself best through writing and I’m grateful to have a place where I can publish content unique to who I am and what I believe. So where is the pressure coming from? ME. I’ve already begun to place unrealistic expectations on myself. Mother’s Day just passed, and I felt that maybe I should do an obligatory post honoring mothers in some way. And then the Ahmaud Arbery story. Certainly, this would be a good time to elaborate my thoughts on that. From week to week, I feel like the pressure is on to produce content that is relevant, amazing, inspiring, and catchy enough to compete with the millions of others who are doing the exact same thing. But who said anyone was competing? I SAID.
Funny how quick the switch can happen huh? When the focus is us, we start feeling as if we must always present ourselves in a way that maintains whatever image we presented from the beginning. The likes, comments, and subscriptions become more important than the God-given assignment. We must be at the top of our game to stay in the game, right? The world’s way of measuring success is going viral or being well known. I believe that over time, simply performing with no authenticity leads to burnout and eventually nothing about the person or content is genuine anymore. It becomes forced, stagnant, and robotic. Already, I must stop and remind myself of the reason I am doing this. This blog belongs to Jesus. As I share, the goal is to showcase Him, and I need His guidance for that to happen.
It’s necessary for me to share these raw moments with you because it’s a glimpse into how I center my focus to what’s important. These moments happen regularly because if they didn’t, I would find myself slowly drifting. Believe it or not, I have experienced so much freedom in these raw moments. It’s a good reminder of my need for grace because as much as I love Jesus, I still sin against Him. I have matured a lot over the years, but pride is one of those areas that continues to creep in constantly. It’s tempting to worship the gifts more than the gift Giver. It’s tempting to believe that my plans are enough to ensure success. In actuality, the success of anything I do begins with full surrender of my plans to God. We don’t like the word surrender, because we struggle with the idea of submitting control to another. But I have been able to accomplish so much more knowing that I don’t have to stand on the invisible stage to perform anymore. The need to compete, the thirst for validation, and the hope of success is no longer the priority because the joy in knowing that God is glorified means so much more.
Though it’s tempting to delight in my gifts, talents, and abilities, today and every day I choose to delight daily in the redemptive grace of God through Christ Jesus that frees me to use those gifts to glorify Him.
Do you struggle with unrealistic expectations? How has it impacted your daily life?
What are your thoughts on competition? Is it healthy? Why or why not?
Consider the motives behind your pursuits. What value do they bring to your life and the lives of others?
Stay on the lookout for a bonus post this week!
