Who’s with You?
What do you think is keeping you from living out your God-given purpose? It could be almost anything and I try to address a variety of these possibilities in my Bring It Out book (releasing August 27, 2024). But today, I don’t want to focus on what’s in the way. Instead, I want to ask you this question:
WHO is keeping you from bringing out what you’re meant to do in the world?
Oftentimes, we are being held back because we don’t have anyone in our corner or we don’t have the right people in our corner. Every year I get to spend a few days at a gathering with some of my closest friends. These friends also happen to be some of the sharpest leaders in our nation. Being with them has a profound impact on me and reminds me of things I sometimes forget. Here are some of my takeaways during these moments that I think you’ll find to be helpful.
Find people who have a similar calling to you. All of these friends happen to be lead pastors of churches in strategic U.S. cities. This means that we share a similar wiring, calling, and mission. It’s so special for me to have people in my life who can relate to everything I face in my role. Who are some people in your life that have a similar calling? Let me encourage you to reach out to a few of them and schedule some time to be with them.
Find people who have gifts that you do not possess. While we share a common calling, we have very different gifts. If we all had the same gifts, it would be hard for us to be able to help one another. But when we’re around people who have gifts we don’t have, it can be easy to play the comparison game. When you play the comparison game, you lose - even if you win. Rather than comparing your gifts, spend time affirming what you see in others and learning from them. And get ready to employ your gifts when the time comes for you to make a contribution.
Find people who care about you and hold you accountable to what you’ve been created to do. All of us need cheerleaders and truth-tellers. You need people who are for you, and because they’re for you, they are willing to tell you the truth about what they see. A few of my friends recently challenged me on a couple of things that I shared with them. The reason I was able to accept what they were saying is because I know how much they love me.
Find people with whom you can be honest about your struggles. When you and I go through difficult seasons, somehow we think we’re the only ones. There was this one night when we had a conversation that was as honest and vulnerable as we’ve ever had. It was so comforting for each of us to realize we weren’t the only ones who had gone through a rough stretch over the past year. We were able to say “me too” to one another and to reaffirm each other’s callings.
