There is a church that is on the road that I drive every day to and from work. They have a sign that they will post quotes and phrases to inspire the Christian walk. God has been using that sign to speak to me for months and months. Usually I see it on the drive home from work, but today, I read the opposite side going to work. It was such a simple phrase, yet it struck me to the heart…
“It’s not about you.”
Such a simple phrase, yet the places it took my mind were endless.
“It’s not about you.” Hm. So it’s not about me.
I began thinking about the areas in my life that I have been praying over. I began thinking of possible scenarios that I am not going through now, but could some day. I began thinking of how God might put me in those situations and why He would allow it… It’s not about me.
Unanswered prayer. We all have those things that we have knocked on the doors of Heaven for. There are seasons that we are banging, and there are seasons that we are desperately crying, laying on the floor, barely able to knock, but knock, nevertheless. Knocking on the doors of Heaven for breakthrough. I thought of those areas in my life and applied this phrase… “It’s not about you.” Suddenly, I realized that God will allow that breakthrough to occur, not when it is most convenient for me, but when He will receive the most amount of glory and recognition. If we continue banging on the doors of Heaven, maintain faith and hope, and continue to have a good attitude to those around us about our circumstance, even as time drags on and on – imagine the glory that God receives not only in the waiting but also when that answer comes!
Uncomfortable circumstances. Just like unanswered prayers, we all have circumstances that we wish were different. It may be an issue of bad health, a special needs child that requires extra attention, financial hardship, a job that we don’t like, etc. Those issues in our lives that make it feel like we are in a pressure cooker. That feeling of the heat being turned up, and you look around and wonder why it’s happening to you and not the person beside you instead. Imagine applying this phrase to those circumstances… “It’s not about you.” You may say, “Okay, whatever… I get that. Then who is it about?!” Here’s the answer: GOD! It is always about Him and bringing glory to His name. Always. In the midst of these hardships, imagine if your thoughts were not on how the circumstance impacted you and your comfort but how you could possibly bring glory to God in the midst of it! You may be going through health issues. Find a reason to praise God and bring glory to Him. He may be allowing you to go through it to be a walking testimony of your faithfulness even in hardship, even as Job. Be faithful! Be strong and give glory to Him! It may be a special needs child. When we focus on ourselves, we may consider how difficult it is to be different and how these circumstances make life a little harder. Hm. But if it isn’t about us, it’s about Him. Maybe He is allowing us to be a voice and advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves – the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9). Maybe He is allowing us to be a walking demonstration of the unfathomable love of God. It’s possible that you’re going through financial difficulty or a job you dislike. What if it wasn’t about you? What if it was all about Him (because it is!)? What if he allowed you to walk through that valley so that you would SEE His Faithfulness in the midst of it? What if He allowed you to be uncomfortable to that He could be glorified when He brings deliverance.
So many things went through my mind this morning. Such a simple phrase and yet it caused me to think about so many circumstances differently. Think of your difficulties or unanswered prayer today. Those things in your life that seem to frustrate you. Apply this phrase… “It’s not about you.” Okay. Now… If it IS about God – what is the lesson?
“It’s not about you.”
Such a simple phrase, yet the places it took my mind were endless.
“It’s not about you.” Hm. So it’s not about me.
I began thinking about the areas in my life that I have been praying over. I began thinking of possible scenarios that I am not going through now, but could some day. I began thinking of how God might put me in those situations and why He would allow it… It’s not about me.
Unanswered prayer. We all have those things that we have knocked on the doors of Heaven for. There are seasons that we are banging, and there are seasons that we are desperately crying, laying on the floor, barely able to knock, but knock, nevertheless. Knocking on the doors of Heaven for breakthrough. I thought of those areas in my life and applied this phrase… “It’s not about you.” Suddenly, I realized that God will allow that breakthrough to occur, not when it is most convenient for me, but when He will receive the most amount of glory and recognition. If we continue banging on the doors of Heaven, maintain faith and hope, and continue to have a good attitude to those around us about our circumstance, even as time drags on and on – imagine the glory that God receives not only in the waiting but also when that answer comes!
Uncomfortable circumstances. Just like unanswered prayers, we all have circumstances that we wish were different. It may be an issue of bad health, a special needs child that requires extra attention, financial hardship, a job that we don’t like, etc. Those issues in our lives that make it feel like we are in a pressure cooker. That feeling of the heat being turned up, and you look around and wonder why it’s happening to you and not the person beside you instead. Imagine applying this phrase to those circumstances… “It’s not about you.” You may say, “Okay, whatever… I get that. Then who is it about?!” Here’s the answer: GOD! It is always about Him and bringing glory to His name. Always. In the midst of these hardships, imagine if your thoughts were not on how the circumstance impacted you and your comfort but how you could possibly bring glory to God in the midst of it! You may be going through health issues. Find a reason to praise God and bring glory to Him. He may be allowing you to go through it to be a walking testimony of your faithfulness even in hardship, even as Job. Be faithful! Be strong and give glory to Him! It may be a special needs child. When we focus on ourselves, we may consider how difficult it is to be different and how these circumstances make life a little harder. Hm. But if it isn’t about us, it’s about Him. Maybe He is allowing us to be a voice and advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves – the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9). Maybe He is allowing us to be a walking demonstration of the unfathomable love of God. It’s possible that you’re going through financial difficulty or a job you dislike. What if it wasn’t about you? What if it was all about Him (because it is!)? What if he allowed you to walk through that valley so that you would SEE His Faithfulness in the midst of it? What if He allowed you to be uncomfortable to that He could be glorified when He brings deliverance.
So many things went through my mind this morning. Such a simple phrase and yet it caused me to think about so many circumstances differently. Think of your difficulties or unanswered prayer today. Those things in your life that seem to frustrate you. Apply this phrase… “It’s not about you.” Okay. Now… If it IS about God – what is the lesson?
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