I Can Only Be Me

1Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

All of my years of ministry I have had a struggle with myself. I find myself comparing what I do to others. I know who I am and that I am not a great orator and I feel inadequate so much of the time. For the first few years after I answered the call to preach I found myself in some of the lowest points of depression after I would preach, feeling I had failed so miserably.

But after sometime of really dreading to preach and the time afterward, I started doing something each time I preached. When I finish preaching and start the invitation, I will go to the Lord in prayer asking for the Lord to bless the invitation and also to forgive me if I failed to follow His will in preaching. It has helped.

 I read a article in the Blythe family’s devotion book a few weeks ago and it helped me a lot. The article reminded me that God called me to do what I do, He knew fully my deficiencies and yet He called me. I need to remember it’s not all in the delivery of the word but the main thing is the word. As our scripture verse says we don’t need to get so caught up in the delivery but in what the word says. I have a lot of preacher friends that if I had my way I would be a lot more like them. But if God had wanted another one of them He would have made them. He wanted me, I still don’t understand why but He knows what he is doing. I am reminded of this scripture:

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Let me encourage you friend, don’t try and compare yourself with what others are doing.

Our enemy the devil will use it to say you aren’t doing enough or doing what you are doing right and the first thing you know you won’t be doing anything. You and I have to just be who we are and do what God has called us to do. Just be yourself don’t try and be someone you are not.

Have a great day!