Outside Your Box
What’s up! The blogs are back! This makes me so happy! Since my last post in January, it has been one heck of a year so far. With covid, junior year, college stuff, and so much more, I’ve learned a lot about God recently. I’ve noticed how he’s been slowly unfolding a new concept and lesson for me, and I finally feel called to share. So I hope whatever I’ve learned will encourage you like it did me :)
I’ve noticed that society puts everyone into specific categories. It could be based on appearance, character traits, personality, words or actions, anything. And honestly, it’s not healthy. It kinda feels like we’re being put inside a box of defining qualities that we can’t escape. I’ve seen this feeling in a lot of people including myself.
For example, sometimes I feel like I’m defined as the quiet girl. It’s not wrong, but sometimes I feel stuck there along with being known as weak and unable. Especially when I was younger, I felt that I wasn’t allowed to get angry or could never be any kind of leader because it wasn't apart of my “box” or defining qualities. And to be honest, sometimes I still have doubt about that.
But here’s what I’ve learned about God in the process: He gets it. He knows exactly how it feels to struggle. When He was on earth, many people put Him into a box of simply being a teacher, carpenter, prophet, etc. (and people even thought He was a liar and blasphemer) when He’s really so much more than that. Way Maker. Miracle Worker. Promise Keeper. Son of God! And I’m sure a lot of people were triggered whenever He grew angry and started flipping tables (Matthew 21).
But He stepped outside of His box by doing that, right? And it all led Him to completing the greatest miracle of all. He wants us to do the same thing. Don’t feel like you have to act a certain way for Him, too. He knows you for the real you and wants you to come to Him that way. He created you for a reason! So don’t let other people’s defining qualities bring you down or keep you from doing the awesome things God has planned for you. He knows you’re so much more than that!
Will it be easy? No. There will probably be a lot of setbacks. But there’s a passage in Hebrews 10 that has really helped me when it gets hard:
— “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised” (Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT).
Patient endurance. That is key. Never give up trust in the Lord. I know that’s a lot easier said than done, and I know sometimes it’s hard to trust God because He doesn't feel present. But just remember that He wants us to step outside of our boxes. He didn't create us as one defining quality, He created us with many. Stepping outside of our boxes is simply being real, and God wants us to be real. It’s what we’re created to do along with being a light for Him.
How are you going to step outside your box? How are you going to patiently endure through the hard times? I will also ask myself these questions whenever it gets hard. If you have any prayer requests, questions, or anything at all, my messages are always open.