Struggling to be content with your skills, young artist?

Highs and lows.

They come and go.

This weekend, after hitting a benchmark of 25 subscribers to my email list, I flew. Life was perfect. I was a successful blogger. I’d done it. I’d made my way in the world. I have ideas. I have time. I’ve got a will and I’m going to make a way.

But then it all fell apart.

I realized how stupid it is to be proud of twenty-five subscribers when other people had twenty-five thousand. I realized… reality. And like that, my dreams plummeted off a cliff.

I was nobody. I was a failure. I’d accomplished relatively nothing.

Long story short, I’m out of that dry spell… but with one new thing still clear in my mind: I have accomplished relatively nothing.

But, really, what are accomplishments? This world will pass away. What really matters?

We must be faithful over what God has given us. That’s our goal in life.

So, maybe you’re wondering what brought me out of my feelings of loss. I’ll tell you.

It was a prayer that doesn’t even sound Christian. I prayed, “let me be me.”

I meant for God to make me content with me as He made me. And He has.

God doesn’t make mistakes; He gave me the amount of skill He wants me to have.

Remember the parable of the talents? You know, when the one guy had five talents and made five more, and so on?

Did you ever notice that the man who made the two talents got the same reward as the one who made the five? Listen guys, it has nothing to do with what you show (with the amount of subscribers, with the quality of your writing, et cetera). It ONLY has to do with how much you’re returning from what God gave you!

And you’re set free from the bondage of trying to fit boots you weren’t designed to fit because when you don’t feel like you measure up, when you feel like your voice isn’t good enough, when you feel like you aren’t good at anything, when you fall into a pit, just remember… return the talents God gave you and be content with His purposes.  

Sing those songs.

Draw those pictures.

Write those stories.

Because that’s what matters in life.  

God bless.