Years ago, my daughter received a scholarship to Seton Hall University in New Jersey. At the time, she was interested in filmmaking. I’ll never forget the voices of many sharing advice and disclaimers. They shared their own experiences and for some reason, they felt that what they went through would be her story. As a mother, I always felt that my job was to provide truth and guide her. Ultimately, she was not mine but God’s. For me, she needed to seek God instead of worrying about the thoughts and experiences of others. It’s important to consider wise counsel. Yet, if that counsel is not confirming what God has told you, then it is only a suggestion.
It’s easy to follow the path that others desire for you because we want to please others, we desire approval, or we don’t want resistance. Even in the well-intentioned comments from family and friends, you can follow a path that was not created and designed for you. If you are not careful, those voices will drown out your own. If you are not careful, you will make those voices your God instead of seeking God’s voice.
You will miss your calling if you get too caught up in what the world wants you to be instead of what God has called you to become. When we examine the life of Jesus, we see examples of those around him who tried to make him into something that He was not. People had an idea of who they thought He was– In Matthew 16:13-16, Mark 8:27-29, and Luke 9:18-20, Jesus asks, “Who do people say
I am?” or “Who do the crowds say I am?”. The disciples answer with, “‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, [Jeremiah or] one of the prophets” Or, instead of simply “one of the prophets,” they say, “‘and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.’”
The thoughts of others could have made Christ shrink if Jesus was not aware of who God said He was. In John 6: 14-15, “After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world. Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” In this verse, we see another example of others are trying to move Christ into a role that He was not called to do. And like Jesus, you may need to move away from the voices.
People will have ideas of what ou should become or who you are. Had Christ allowed them to make Him king, the impact would have had consequences for us all. We would have missed out on the crucifixion and the resurrection. Our destiny would have been changed forever if He had allowed the beliefs of others to change who He was and what He was to do.
As we prepare for Easter Sunday, it’s important to reflect: Had Christ not gone to the Cross, had His identity been compromised by what others said about Him or wanted Him to be, the consequences for our lives and deaths would be different.
Had my daughter listened to others, she would not be living a life of joy. She is walking in her purpose using all of her gifts from film, communication, photography, writing, and strategy. God is not done with her as she is being molded through life experiences and relationships to be more like Jesus.
Who are you listening to? Is there a dream that needs to be resurrected that you’ve allowed to die because of what others said? Who is in your ear telling you what you cannot do? Have you stopped listening and learning about who God says you are and give more credibility to the voices in the world? Do you need to move away from the noise?
Don’t miss Him because you are unable to recognize Christ because of what others have said…
Don’t miss who you are in Christ to trade it for what the world says you should be…
Silence the voices and seek God’s voice…
Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the President of Soulstice Consultancy, LLC and the Founder of the Reconciliation and Restoration (r2fdn.org) Foundation. The author of 4 books including Empowering Charity: A New Narrative of Philanthropy, Dr. Booker-Drew is also the host of the Tapestry Podcast.
