This morning the Lord brought me to a passage in 1 Corinthians 12… the title of the section stood out to me—caught my attention…
“Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity”
And I was reminded in that moment of how God uses our differences with the intention of strengthening us….helping us as a WHOLE… while the enemy attempts to distract us and discourage us by tempting us to look at a “difference” of someone else—perhaps a thing that person has that we’d like to have within ourselves or it could also be a “difference” that gets under our skin.
But the truth is, God didn’t create any two of us to be the same.
He created us to be uniquely different.
So why would I look at someone else, and look at their strengths, and want to be any different than who He’s created me to be?
If we could see His true intention, and if we could realize deep down that God designed us very specifically, and very intentionally….
We would never want to be anyone other than who He created us to be.
And yet “comparison” can be such a struggle.
It’s been a struggle in my life. It’s still a struggle sometimes, but I’m able to catch it and take notice if I’m doing headed down that way of thinking, when I would kind of “go with it” before.
And I’ve gotten stuck in “comparison” at times, I’ve stepped into jealousy and envy…. and it’s taken me some pretty dangerous paths.
But God wants us to know how intentional He was when he designed us.
He wants us to know and be aware of the fact that He’s going to do things a little differently in me, than what He does in you.
He wants us to know how much He LOVES what He created in me and how much He loves what He designed in you.
And He wants to remind us that His design of “differences” was for our benefit as a whole—as a body—As the body of Christ, equipped, strengthened, empowered and UNITED for His good work.
“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. “—1 Corinthians 12:4-6
“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”—1 Peter 4:10
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“—Ephesians 2:10
God, help us to see the truth, help us to see that You designed us to be so different, that we’d all fit into our places so perfectly, so uniquely…that we would BE exactly who we are, exactly who we are created to BE, so that we can be the “puzzle piece” to perfectly fit into the plans You have so perfectly designed.
You designed it this way for a reason and for a purpose!
“This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.“—1 Corinthians 12:25-28
Let us not get trapped in the deception of “comparison”…
But may we see the truth, God—may we see the beauty of Your design for us!
Not one part of your design is any “less than” the other.
Each piece has a purpose, each piece has an important part.
How You see things so differently than we do, God!
But help us to see like You do, help us to understand Your ways.
That we may be able to grasp and understand that every single thing that You do, every single thing You have created, every single thing…. is significant, and has a purpose within Your plans.
No matter how great, no matter how “seen”, no matter how hidden, no matter how small… You created it all…every single part—every single one of us came straight from Your heart.
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” —Genesis 1:31
“14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no [a]schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.“—1 Corinthians 12:14-26 NKJV
Thank You, Father. You know exactly and precisely what You are doing. ??☀️ Help us to trust You more! Thank You for what You do in us and thank You for inviting us each to be a part of Your story!
-Heather ?