‘We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.’ Romans 12:6 NIV
Different people expect different things from us. And when a lot of people are pulling on you, those expectations can build up like a mountain and bury you. Is that how you’re feeling today, buried under everybody’s expectations? If so, read this Scripture: ‘Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the [level of] faith God has given [you]. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body.’ (Romans 12:3-5 NLT).
We all want people to be pleased with us, but we must also realise that they frequently have unrealistic expectations and sometimes selfish ones. So why don’t we just say no?
(1) Fear of people. We want to be loved and we are afraid of being rejected.
(2) Pride. If God made you a one-talent person, He won’t give you a two-talent assignment. Don’t allow pride to make you take on more than you can handle in order to have people’s approval.
(3) Not knowing God’s will for you. Jesus said, ‘I carry out the will of the One who sent Me, not My own will.’ (John 5:30 NLT) You must know God’s will and be committed to it, or people will try to impose their will and agenda on you.
(4) Trying to be like someone else. ‘Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.’ (Romans 12:6 NKJV) Unless God has ‘graced’ you to do it, you’ll fail or collapse under the weight of it. Realise that you are not called to meet everybody’s expectations.
SoulFood: Matt 28:16–20, 2 Cor 13:14, John 1:18, John 15:18–26
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©