I saw a video floating around the internet some time ago. It showed a woman trying to squeeze her lower half into a pair of jeans 4 sizes too small for her body. It was meant to be just a joke – because, really – we’ve all been there, right? My struggle is that I love the ballerina body type – long, lean, no curves, graceful. I am drawn to fashions and clothes that would look great on that body type. Then in frustration, I stand in front of the mirror wondering why my 5′ 2″ athletic, mountain-biking, mommy frame looks frumpy, awkward, or just not right in those clothes.
And something hit me when I saw that video: Why not wear clothes that would actually look good on me? Then something else hit me. . . I felt the Holy Spirit whispering this for all of us:
Dress for your calling: stop trying to wear the clothes of someone else’s calling. Learn to dress yourself in the honor and strength fitting for the tasks that God has given you. Wearing the wrong fit or style for what you were created for is unflattering, uncomfortable, and uninspired.
UNFLATTERING. Trying to live a life outside of what God created you for is unflattering. We were created to bring God glory as ourselves. The problem is that being ourselves is so easy, being what God created us to be is so natural – that it hardly seems glamourous enough to be a real calling, or a real, fulfilling purpose. But, God created you to bring Him glory by being you.
UNCOMFORTABLE. Dressing as someone else every day is uncomfortable. There will always be something: a nagging, itching, something in your heart that says, “No, no, this isn’t quite right.” I love mountain biking. I have a certain way I dress when I mountain bike, mostly in Lycra. It fits the occasion, it fits the purpose of my activity that day. It’s the most comfortable way to dress when mountain biking. However, head-to-toe Lycra is hardly fitting, or comfortable, for a day at the office. . . unless you are a professional mountain biker (which I, sadly, am not).
Many of us are trying so hard to be something we are not. We are walking around in clothes that we wish were for us, or for this season, looking silly in the process. The only thing that is the same for all of us is our calling to put off our old nature, and put on Christ. What that looks like, and how He operates in and through you is completely unique, and unprecedented. Your display of Christ may be most beautiful as you lead others in worship. Perhaps it is through a season of raising kids or building a career that you put on Christ. Whatever the calling, or season of that calling you are in be confident in your position, role and purpose today – and ‘dress appropriately’.
UNINSPIRED. It isn’t hard to copy someone else. Imitation brings our desires far outside of what God desires for us. It is easy to put on someone else’s attitudes, beliefs, purposes, passion, or dreams. But borrowed dreams must be returned. It’s only the dreams, purposes, and passions that we take the time to plant and cultivate in our lives that will produce fruit. And that is a difficult process. We have to go get our own faith, our own hope, and keep our own passion stirred up. Borrowed clothes must be returned. But to maintain your own wardrobe, you’ll need to do the laundry and get out the iron. You’ll need to find, and maintain your own inspiration to live out the purposes God has for you on this day.
IT’S TIME TO EMBRACE & INCREASE YOUR CAPACITY
[2] Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. [3] For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. Isaiah 54:2-3
As I imagine squeezing into a purpose that is 4-sizes too small these verses come to mind. God wants you to prepare for a larger vision and wider embrace of influence. To experience this increase, we must make room for it. The first step is to immediately discontinue trying to fit into someone else’s purpose. Then it is time to get to work. My husband and I had a family, and business meeting not too long ago. Our biggest goal walking away from that pow-wow was to begin intentionally making space for our future hopes, dreams, and desires. We’ve got the ‘work hard’ part of life mastered. We are now focussing on stretching out the curtains of our time, finances, and relationships. Making room for more opportunities, ideas, and dreams within our every day, and our someday.
The other thought about enlarging and stretching is this: living within the confines of a small, cramped dream for your life is not humility. It serves no one but your pride and fear. Do not let past mistakes or failures keep you from moving forward. Do not hold back. It is time to find your purpose, create space for it, and trust God to increase your capacity to do all that He has put in your heart.
In what areas of your life are you trying to dress like someone else?
2 Comments
I tend to envy people that work in the medical field. God is teaching me that he gave me my experiences for a reason. That is to work alongside medical professionals in a different capacity with public relations type work.
Thanks for the post!
Isn’t it funny how we tend to think everyone else’s purpose is more important, glamorous, interesting… than our own? 😀 Best of luck looking into the job at GVH!