Who Are You? Who? Who? Who? Who? (like the song)

About a week ago I went to lunch with a friend of mine and we got to talking about learning to say no. No i'm not talking about saying no to drugs, but that is something that you should definitely say no to. I hope you are still with me after that little tangent ha...anyways we were talking about how we both struggled with the power of telling people no. Being a christian sometimes makes you feel as if you aren't allowed to say no to something that is for a good cause because that is not christian living and people might not think that you are who you say you are, but on the contrary this could be christian living if God is telling you to say no. roll with me on this.

All of this relates really well to my first blog entry about guilt and trying to gain freedom, but I just figured I would try to come across the subject in a different way. If you spread yourself too thin on things that you are doing in your life then I think it is hard to be fulfilled. Lets say you get asked to go to a bible study or some sort of christian event and you feel as if God has a plan for you to go somewhere else during this time, then this is where you need to listen to the creator and follow him wherever he takes you and don't fear man. If you feel like you need to be spending some alone time with the lord or you need to be hanging out with a certain group of people to show yourself through christ then follow God instead of man, because if you consistently live in fear of man's approval then you will just find yourself straying away from God's plan for you. God has a different plan for each person if you stick with him and live according to his desire then you will find yourself exactly where you need to be.

Everything I just said is very hard and I struggle with it every day, but I am fighting to get past it and live without the fear of man, but rather live with the fear of God. God has really been showing me lately that I just need to be myself as corny and simple as it sounds. I am learning to be who I know I am and use the spiritual gifts that the lord specifically gave to me and not wish I had the gifts that anyone else possesses. I am tired of living in a a feeling of constant envy where I wish i had all the abilities in the world. This is not the way God wants us to be and there is no joy at all in this. If you are a shy and quiet individual who is really good with one on one conversations and you love those intimate/deep talks that motivate you and motivate others then keep on doing what you are doing because it is something you find joy in and something God blessed you with. If you are the person who likes to be in a larger social situation and it enables you to feel christ's joy for your life then put yourself in these situations where the lord can use you.

Although I just encouraged comfort in who you are, it is still important to remember to not get too comfortable in the way you pursue God (download Brandon Heath- Don't Get Comfortable). You should want to be challenged by him and made stronger on a daily basis, I am just trying to say that using your spiritual gifts is an amazing thing and you will find joy and freedom in it. This will help you get rid of the fear of man that cripples all of us and takes us further away from God.

Give it up to gain it all