“I have finished my course.” 2 Timothy 4:7 KJV
“Stay on course as God intended; that’s where your reward will be found, in life and eternity.”
My thoughts today are “be yourself.”
Do you ever wish for a moment that you could be someone else, or at least be more like someone else? I think everybody probably thinks about that wistfully once in awhile. Who would you want to be more like? Someone with a certain talent you don’t possess, more popular, with athletic prowess that breaks the will of opponents, having more money, less worries, or clearer plans for the future?
What about yourself would you change if you could? When asked most people’s first answer would likely identify something of appearance, or cosmetic – all outward, superficial and ultimately inconsequential. Imagine if you applied yourself to simply be better in who you are and what you can do.
The models the culture incessantly imposes upon you suggest empty promises that you would be better off, happier, more satisfied, or the life of the party if you would be more like the images they project for products you must buy, cars you must drive, homes you must have, and celebrities you could be like. But like too much of what this world sells as “must have,” the promises are hollow. You will always be better off and more confident just being yourself.
Your life is not the product of happenstance. You are not less than you need to be. You are not less than someone else. Besides, who could be better at being you? Why be a second best copy of someone else when you are an original? You are a wonderful creation of God’s own hand and genius. You are a bundle of potential and possibility yet to be realized more fully. You are graced with gifts and abilities that are wonderfully your own, unlike any other’s.
God can only bless what He has created and intended. You are made in His image and likeness, and are to be a unique expression of His nature, unlike any other of His handiwork. Paul describes you in this way, “You are His workmanship” (Read Ephesians 2:10 NIV), a Greek word, poema, that is like our word, poem, a creative work of expressive thought. A secret to a happy life is fulfilling God’s “creative work of expressive thought” in all you do, and all you are.
When I have previously read today’s verse, I seemed to focus on the aspect of finishing the course, but today my thoughts are directed to my individual assignment to be diligent in my course – the singular plan and path that God has thoughtfully chosen just for my life, uniquely different from any other. “For I know the plans that I have for you . . plans for good . . to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT. I cannot walk someone’s else’s path nor best accomplish someone else’s assignment even if I would prefer, try as I might. I am prepared and qualified by God to be best at just being myself, and so are you. Stay on course as God intended; that’s where your reward will be found, in life and eternity.
My prayer for you today is: be a wondrous original that best reveals the Creator’s genius and design in making you who you are.