Lysa TerKeurst _{Leading Women in the Adventure of Faith}

I remember the first time I went to a conference filled with potential speakers and writers. I had been so excited. At home, I felt handpicked by God to attend this conference. I felt chosen, worthy and empowered. 

Then I got to the conference with hundreds of others who were also chosen, worthy and empowered and suddenly I did not feel handpicked any longer. I felt insecure.

I remember hearing women talk about their proposals, their messages, their ministry experiences and suddenly everything in my world felt woefully small and insignificant. Even my outfit felt dated, my backside big, and my voice painfully hollow. I could feel my personality shutting down and my heart sinking to places no God loving woman should go. 

Satan is a cruel manipulator who desires for God’s girls to get ensnared and distracted by competing and comparing. The more we look around and jockey for a position that’s better than the girl standing next to us, the less we remember God’s assignment for us. And that’s exactly what the enemy wants. 

Our calling is never to one up the next girl. It is to raise up the name of Jesus and live his truths in an authentic way. Period. Nothing else. 

So, what is a Jesus girl to do when she finds herself sucked into the comparison trap? 

After many tears shed beside my hotel bed and much prayer, I willed my hurting little feet to walk back down to the conference and get intentional about being blessing focused. I determined with each and every interaction for the rest of the conference I would seek to receive and give a blessing. 

As women talked to me, I looked for some blessing of truth, challenge, or revelation I could glean from this other person. Even if the person was self-focused and not caring a bit about giving me anything, I chose to see my interaction with her as blessed reminder to not act that way myself. 

I also sought to give a blessing to every woman with whom I interacted. It’s amazing when you intentionally look for good in others how much you can quickly find. 

By the end of the conference I was so full of blessings, I could honestly say to the Lord, “Whatever your will. Whether I receive a contract or not. Whether I stand and share my message in front of 5 or 5000. Whatever your will, I only want your plans.” 

The less we compare and compete they more we’ll be able to embrace Jesus’ attitude of blessing and feel amazingly complete. And isn’t that what we’re all after in the first place?

Be sure to join in tomorrow as we uncover how rejection from man doesn’t mean rejection from God.