In 2 Corinthians 4:2 I read, “We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God.” (NLT)
Nothing is more discouraging than trying to be something I’m not.
If I maintain a façade because I’m afraid other people might find out who I am or God might not love me, then I’m going to miss out on God’s best for my life.
God does not bless fakes or phonies. If I want God’s blessing on my life, I need to stop living for the approval of others and start being who God made me to be. God didn’t create me to be somebody else. When I get to heaven, he isn’t going to ask, “Why weren’t you more like your sister or the popular kid or your successful friend?” He’s going to hold me accountable for how I fulfilled his purposes for my life.
The world doesn’t need two of me or anybody else. But the world does need me to do the work God has for me on earth. He shaped me and gifted me in a unique way, and we’re all missing out if I’m determined to be anyone but myself.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:2, “We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God” (NLT). In other words, we’re not putting on a disguise or a phony mask. We’re not pretending we’re something we’re not. And we don’t twist the Word of God. Instead, we teach the truth plainly, showing everyone who I really am.
Nothing is more discouraging than trying to please everybody. I’ve been on the cover of Newsweek magazine twice, once as the hero and once as a zero. That’s just life! Even God can’t please everyone. When somebody’s praying for a snow day, someone else is praying for blue skies.
If I try to be something I’m not, I’m always going to be under stress and fear being exposed, and be prone to discouragement.
To defeat discouragement, just be who God made me to be. I don’t have to be perfect for God to bless me, just be authentic.
In summary, I don’t need to trick anyone or distort the word of God. If I’m maintaining a façade because I’m afraid other people might find out who I am or God might not love me, then I’m going to miss out on God’s best for my life. God does not bless fakes or phonies. If I want God’s blessing on my life, I need to stop living for the approval of others and start being who God made me to be. God didn’t create me to be somebody else. In the end, He’ll hold me accountable for how I fulfilled his purposes for my life. The world needs me to do the work God has for me on earth. He shaped me and gifted me in a unique way, so I am to teach the truth plainly, showing everyone who I really am. Nothing is more discouraging than trying to please everybody. Even God can’t please everyone. If I try to be something I’m not, I’m always going to be under stress and fear being exposed, and prone to discouragement. To defeat discouragement, just be who God made me to be.
As I reflect on this, I do have a tendency to live for the approval of others and not God. What this study has taught me is that God doesn’t bless a fake or phony me. He wants to use me the way he created me and to be authentic and have integrity. Father, I thank you for this reminder and ask through the help of the Holy Spirit to be who I am and do what God created for me to do. I ask Father for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. These things I pray in your Son Jesus’ name, amen.
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