Be You Because Everyone Else is Taken

We live in a high paced, loud world, where we have instant access to any information we could ever want. Our culture keeps us busy and driven. With just a few clicks we can learn how to make a gourmet meal, try a new hairstyle, or learn a new craft. Noise and constant distractions keep us wondering if we are doing enough. Being enough. Having enough. Often times we can feel small and insignificant, and we are tempted to become someone we were never intended to be.

Over the last year and a half, I have been scaling back. Learning to live in the moment and to savor life. It has not been easy because I’ve realized so much of my worth was in how much I did, how many people I affected, how productive I was, and even how much I was needed.

Often times I felt myself becoming a person I was never intended to be. Bending my soul to the culture around me, rather than abiding in His Spirit. Fear kept me bound to what others thought of me. The enemy wanted me to believe I was made for less. I found myself doing and being because I wanted to be liked, wanted, and needed. I was not being true to the deep desire in my heart to be who God meant me to be back before He created the foundation of the world.

The book Just Lead states, “Women cannot be afraid to address the issues that make them unique. We need to begin to be comfortable with leading from a place of authenticity.” The enemy allows us to conform to the people around us. We are stricken with fear to be who God made us to be. Afraid to be different. Afraid to step into our God-given gifting because it doesn’t look like everyone else’s.

On a daily basis we are slammed with how the world and even the church thinks we should be. “Be softer.” “Don’t be so defensive.” “Work.” “Don’t work.” “Don’t get married.” “Get married.” “Don’t speak your mind.” “Give more.” “Be more.” “Do more.” All these statements tell us to just go with the flow – accept change never happens without women and men going against the grain, going against the current, and doing only what God has asked them to do.

It takes boldness. It takes Holy Spirit! I see too many people allowing circumstances to just happen and not being the leader they were created to be to institute change. Discovering your authentic voice will be one of your most important steps in becoming a great leader.

I tell my daughter all the time, “Be you because everyone else is taken.” Let’s not be afraid to be all that God has called us to be. Souls are waiting on you!!

Our journey starts in abiding in His never ending love and functioning from this place.

Are you living from a place of being enough in Him? Or are you striving to be more than enough to produce rather than rest in Him? Is love your driving force or efficacy?

What outside voices are you listening to? Are you allowing them to tell you how you should be? Are you being true to what God has placed inside you or are you doing to just do?