Friday, December 19, 2008

It's Not About Me

Over a zillion times in my life, I've heard people and have even said myself, "Don't take this personally but..." or just "Don't take it personal". And I still have no idea what it means. Actually, I'm in the process of googling it to find out if anyone out there knows. Apparently not! It's just another one of the phrases we say too much and now one really knows what they're saying. Maybe I should ask one of my uber smart friends :P

Up until recently though, that phrase use to really make me upset! Because it would always come right before someone giving me some criticism. "Don't take this personally, but you're a horrible person!" What the heck?!? How do I not take it personally... YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ME! So instead of trying to figure how I'm not suppose to be taking all these random facts about myself personally... I just took everything personally! And that only got me as far as my bed with the covers over my head crying... about what a horrible person I am. All my mistakes, all my failures, all my sins, all my weaknesses, all the things I needed to work on, all the missed opportunities... EVERYTHING was taken straight to heart.

And taking things personally started to make me upset with God. Because I wanted to know why He did this to me?! Why did He make me like this? Why didn't He fix things?

A few weeks ago, a guest preacher at the church I go to Brampton, shared that he had been diagnosed with cancer a few weeks ago. And instead of believing what the medical report was he was going to stand on the report of the Lord. Amen! And then he was talking to the congregation about things that we might be going through. And how we need to believe the promises God has made to us and stand firm in it. And then he said it... "Don't take your struggle personally". And I was confused because I was thinking... obviously I'm going to take it personal! It's me! But he went on to say that it actually isn't about me. That my struggle... my weaknesses... my problems isn't about me and it isn't because God is cruel. It's just a part of a bigger picture that isn't about me as well!

Verrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting Roosevelt Hunter!

So it isn't about me?!?! So even though it really sounds like it's about me... it's not! I don't have to take this personally... I can just give it to God and continue doing my thing!?!

Why yes I can!

So lately, I've been realising all the things in life that I take personally. And then I stop. I remind myself that it isn't about me and that God is working things out. And I just need to remain obedient and trust Him!


All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith,
yet none of them received ALL that God had promised.
For God had something better in mind for us,
so that they would not reach perfectiong without us.
Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down,
especially the sin that so easily trips us up.
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,
the champion who initiates and perfects our faith...
Hebrews 11:39-12:2

1 comment:

  1. thank God! He always takes the crappiness out of our lives. Who doesn't hate that line too! I know i do! I know YOU do! It's always a brace-yourself-moment when somoone starts with that... don't take it personally! so knowing that in Him we can actually NOT take it personally is great. He's the one doing the work in our lives. Wether its a personality thing or a rejection thing or anything at all! He's got it. and we don't need to carry the burden!

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