LIES

The devil is going to try to get you the most in the area God most wants to use you. He wants to hit you hard there. He knows if he takes you out in that area it’s a MAJOR win for him.

So lean in to the struggle. Lean in to the fight. Fight on offense.

Find the things you struggle with and the things that are just plain hard and ask God if they’re the things He wants to use in you.

I was challenged of this recently, and it shifted so much for me. It was such a seemingly “small” thing that I didn’t even know it was a lie that held me so deeply until I asked God to shine a light on it. But the immense freedom I’ve felt since dealing with it? It’s the immeasurable peace I know only God can bring.

A lie I let myself believe my whole life is the lie of “you don’t matter,” “you’re not important.” It wasn’t through anything anyone said to me, but through inferred conversations, misperceptions, and just plain the enemy trying to get it in my head. I let my mindset be one of background. I didn’t anticipate people to remember me because I didn’t think of myself as something special. I legitimately wouldn’t say hi to people after meeting them once or twice because I figured I didn’t make enough of an impact for them to remember we had met. I would put up an exterior that I had it all together. But internally I was stressed about talking to the person next to me because I didn’t want to be a burden and I didn’t want to infringe on their day. I didn’t want to bother them. I just assumed they had 12 other people they’d rather be talking to. And it’s affected every area of my life. Friends. Guys. My workplaces. Relationships at church.

I made my external world squeaky clean. When people asked me how I was,  I was good, I had it all together. I had the great job. The friends. The involvement at church.

But when I took a moment to exhale and let my guard down in the comfort of my room, I realized I didn’t think I make an impact. When we talked about purpose at church and what each of us were made for, I recognized other people were made for great things, but I thought I would hold down the fort here...in pretty average. I never wanted to dream too big, because I didn’t fully believe the big things, the really cool things could happen for me. I became content with average.

And in that moment I recognized the lie and that I’m meant to push through. So, DAILY now, with all the quiet confidence I can muster with the grace of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit, I lean in.

Because if that’s what’s been holding me...feeling unknown, undervalued, not valuing my life enough to demand the best in everything because I didn’t deem myself worthy of it....well SHOOT. God is going to use this and I KNOW he has one heck of a plan for me. One filled with a great and exceptional love, huge opportunity, massive dreams and big things. I’m not made to be mediocre. I am not mediocre.

If that lie has been powerful enough to grasp me for 23 years, a lie so quiet I didn’t see it until recently, what else am I going to have to uproot? What other personality traits have I given ownership to that I need to battle?

Because I know this now. God grabbed hold of me with a specific purpose. I’m made for big things. I need to make myself open and available for him to use me. There are literally things on this planet that he put specifically ME here to do...and it’s through my obedience that other people may be brought closer to Him.

My challenge to everyone is this: What’s holding you? What are the lies you’re believing? What do you need to battle to uproot? Because once you know, you can wage war on mediocrity. Wage war on the things that hold you, and step into what God has for you.