Resting is a theme I continue to ponder. Often, I am the “yes man,” a people pleaser, a doer, one who likes to contribute and be on the go. God continues to put up roadblocks to my plans. How dare He! It seems some days that He is just about whacking me with a 2 X 4, the message of rest is so clear.

You know, I’m like many of you – always in a hurry, annoyed when someone turns in front of me without using the handy middle turn lane. Get over so I can get by for heavens sake! It might strain my legs to tap the break. We can’t have that! People do not want to let you in on the freeway. It’s the same deal when we speed up on a yellow light. Our selfish orientation comes out in so many different ways.

Another way we don’t rest is comparing ourselves with each other. Not only what we have but how we look. Why are girls more prone to this than boys? Well, at least usually… I think... Ok some boys primp too.

Some of us have to look just right before we go out and we’re never satisfied with the traits God gave us. I about had a conniption fit one time when a friend told me her aunt “had” to get a breast augmentation. Are you kidding me? God made a mistake? by making us different sizes? God messed up? when he stunted my growth? colored my hair? made it curly? straight? Pleeeeaassee. I own a straightener and a curling iron, so I’m talking to myself as well…

And, girls more often than boys look at each other with a critical eye. Is it jealousy or paranoia? Must we always be looking to be “better than” the one next to us?

We don’t celebrate who God made us to be. REJOICE IN THE PERSON GOD UNIQUELY FORMED WITH YOU! We’re not all the same, thank goodness. The variety makes Him happy. Each of us is special in His eyes. We are loved. Rest it that. If we relax in who we are in Christ, we are better able to look with love and show love to our neighbors as well.

We have no reason to be insecure. It’s nice to be adored by everyone around us but the fact of the matter is, none of us can please everyone all the time, and who wants to try anyway? It’s too exhausting.

There’s always going to be the girl who has everything and the boy who is perfect in every way, but that’s only from a distance. When you begin to look closer, you find that they have their challenges as well. Maybe we’re not all “evenly challenged” but that’s when we have to seek what God has for us. We have to ask, “What is God trying to teach me?” Are you teachable?

I want to believe that I get more and more comfortable with myself as the years go by. Less and less of the time do I want to be someone else.

Ideally, we can rest in knowing God put us together this way for His purposes. We don’t have to try and be someone else. Isn’t that a load off? We can relax and walk with confidence because the Creator took time and thought in crafting each of us.

He watches us closely and cares for us deeply and keeps His hand on us tenderly. We can’t even fathom such care. Thank you Father. Let it be for Your glory. See Psalm 139.

Deanna