You Are Unique

I was speaking to an old friend last week. His Birthday is the day following mine. We’ve been friends for over thirty years but, as men typically do, we don’t really talk all that much but never fail to communicate at Birthday time.

Its funny how it works with us. We haven’t spoken lately at all but, when we talked last week, it was as if we never left-off where we were thirty years ago.

As we were talking I asked him, “So you still trying to change the world buddy?” He was one who always had big dreams and wanted to make a difference in the world. Unfortunately, he never really found his “niche” as he let the ways of this world defeat his purpose.

Unlike me, he isn’t really a believer. He has lived his life, through his trials and tribulations, by the cuff of his sleeve and seat of his pants. He was always ready for the battle but never really understood its purpose.

He’d seen a lot of my posts on Facebook and even watched a few of our “live” broadcasts. Seeing those and knowing how I believe, his response to me was, “Nope, but I see you’re about the change the world yourself. Looks like you found your way.”

Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t. I’ll leave that up to God to decide and will simply keep listening to Him and recognize the signs He puts in front of me before I decide if my friend was right.

More than this, what bothered me the most was that my friend thought his world was coming to a close and there wasn’t anything he could really do about it. Well, knowing me as you all do, you can imagine the conversation that ensued after his statement to me.

All of this being said, I’d like to take a little time this morning to try and make sure you understand the fact that God has given each of us a purpose here.

You Are Unique

The first and foremost thing I believe we should all understand is we are all unique. We all have a different set of skills that a lot of us fail to even recognize.

As an example (taken from the lesson on God Given Talent):

Good Listener (bar-tender, close friend, sibling or parent)

Good Speaker (teacher, preacher, motivator)

An Artist (painter, sculptor, poet or photographer)

A Musician or Song-Writer

Good with Children (Nanny, baby-sitter, nursery school attendant)

Caretaker (doctor, nurse, live-in caretaker)

A good and loyal husband or wife

A good friend

God made us all for a very particular purpose. Each and every one of us has something inside of us that God has put there. Before we were even born, He planned every day of our lives to serve this very purpose.

Psalm 119:73-74 – “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.”

If you are unsure of your purpose, pray these words from Psalm and ask that God help you in your journey. Ask that He open your eyes and your heart and make you realize the value that He sees in you.

Forget Your Failures

It all sounds simple, doesn’t it? But where does our doubt, crashing down around us, come from? Why can’t we just believe God has a purpose for us… grasp it, and run with it as He would have us do?

You are not a failure because you’ve fallen down on your journey. You are only a failure when you stop getting back up!

When your enemies, or the non-believers around you, criticize you for falling, remember what the prophet Micah wrote:

Micah 7:8 – “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”

Forget about past failures. God hasn’t given up on you so why would you give up on Him. Do what you can do, God will do for you whatever it is you feel you can’t!

Believe in Your Gifts

Remember what we talked about earlier, God has made us and formed us into what He intended us to be. Whatever “skill” that you might have, though it may be different than another one’s skills, it is yours and yours to give unto others. Get your passion back, and understand…

1 Corinthians 12:5-6 – “There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”

Whatever it is you feel you can do… do it! Even more importantly than that, do it for God. Be persistent as persistence has always been the path to success.