Freedom Friday: Living Your Amazing Without Suffocating

The world was heartbroken this week by another star, taken too soon.

Some people were simply annoyed by all the press this specific person was getting. What about the members of the military who were killed or injured in battle this week? What about family members who died from addiction? Were these people any less important?

But all the press made me stop and think: why?

Why was the world so swept up in the death of someone most of us never even saw in person, much less really knew?

I believe the reason we are so torn up about stars who die is that there was something amazing about them.

Amazing vocalist.

Amazing songwriter.

Amazing actor.

Amazing inventor.

They had found the thing God created them to do, something I refer to as their "amazing", and it was powerful.

They wore their amazing on their sleeve for the world to see. Their amazing was breath-taking, soul-wrenching at times, and inspiring.

Here's the thing.

1. We all have amazing in us.
That doesn't mean we will all be famous, or well-known, or what the world would label "amazing". It means we were created uniquely, with specific gifts that only we have to offer to the world. We can all be world-changing in whatever sphere of influence God gives us by allowing the amazing in us to surface and be developed.

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it." Psalm 139:13-14

God knows what your amazing is because He put it in you. Don't seek to find your amazing; rather seek God & His kingdom first "and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

2. Ready yourself for your amazing.

We need to have a certain level of maturity and foundation of faith in order to be able to handle our amazing.

I shared some months ago in this blog post that as I searched to find God's will for my life, sought to find my own amazing, God spoke some hard words to me: you're not ready to receive it.

God clearly told me, in His gentle and loving way, that I did not have the foundation of faith or strength of character I needed in order to walk in the fullness of who He created me to be.

So how do we ready ourselves? If Jesus has truly given us everything we need for life & godliness, what else can we do?

We can surrender. We can remember not to think too highly OR too lowly of ourselves. We can use the example of Philippians 2, looking out for others' interests as well as our own, and having the attitude of Jesus.

We can learn to walk in freedom.

We can follow the directive in 2 Peter 1 to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

We can gather folks around us to pray for us and help us discern God's voice.

We can prepare ourselves so that as God reveals our amazing to us, we are ready.

3. Don't let your amazing suffocate you.

Use your amazing for good. Remember that your amazing was given to you by God, and it needs to be continually given back to God. God is our sustainer; He alone stoops down to make you great.

Rely on God's strength. When we stop allowing God to sustain us, very dangerous things can happen. I was reminded of this when I recently read 2 Chronicles 16, where King Asa stops relying on God for success. I prayed upon reading that that I wouldn't get stubborn and obstinate in my old age and forget to rely on God.

Finding your amazing can lead to striving. We feel once we've found that thing we were created to do that we must do something to somehow feed and encourage it. Once again, we need the reminder that God alone is our sustainer. Even Paul had a thorn in his flesh to remind him that God's grace was sufficient.

In so many lives, we have seen that the journey to one's amazing can be suffocating.

It doesn't have to be.

Let your amazing drive you to God. Allow it to humble you and send you minute by minute to the foot of the cross. Even when it becomes natural, almost second nature, to walk in your amazing, declare daily that apart from Jesus, you can do nothing (John 15:5).

4. Prepare to be amazed.

As I was listening to a testimony of a man's journey to Jesus a few months ago, I was humbled to my core. The ways God is able to move took my breath away. A thought popped into my mind:

"If you are not amazed, you are not paying attention."

God is amazing. He wants to do amazing things in you and through you and in the lives of those around you.

Pay attention, if you're not already. Thank God for what He's done and what He will do. Praise Him simply for who He is. Declare your gratitude for His continual working in you. Remind God of His Word; Psalm 138 says "for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name."

The Psalm continues:

"The LORD will work out his plans for my life—
for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.
Don’t abandon me, for you made me." Psalm 138:8

Amen.

Ask God today to prepare you to find your amazing, if you haven't already. Ask Him to show you your blind spots and how to use His strength in those areas. And get ready. It's a wild ride; prepare to be amazed.