Girlfriends in God - June 13, 2007

June 13, 2007

Trick Skis

Sharon Jaynes

 

 

 

Today’s Truth

^“Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. ^{“ (}Psalm 119:35 NIV)

 

 

Friend to Friend

I am not, and never have been, a very athletic person. I think that I have "ball-phobia". If it's round and moves, I can't hit it or catch it. My husband, on the other had, is very athletic. He played all sports in high school, and even had a partial baseball scholarship to Clemson University.

 

The one thing I can do athletically, besides walk, is snow ski. For some reason, that just came naturally to me, probably because there is no ball involved. When Steve and I started dating, I offered to teach him how to snow ski. He was aware of my athletic capabilities, or lack thereof, and decided that if I could do it, it would be a breeze for him.

 

We went to Sugar Mountain, N.C. for his first lesson. The key things to learn when you first hit the slopes are how to slow down, how to stop, and how to get up once you fall. The rest is easy. The first thing Steve learned was how to get up, because the first thing he did was fall.

To slow down, I taught Steve to turn his skis sideways, to weave back and forth, as he skied down the mountain. He quickly learned to slow down by turning to the left or right. However, he had a tendency to turn too far which left him with his skis pointing up the mountain. Inevitably, he began to slide down the hill backwards. Not good.

Finally, he figured it he turned too much, we would just continue the turn, making a complete circle. It slowed him down and prevented him from going downhill backwards. It was a sight to behold, but it worked.

Near the end of the day, a lady who was very impressed with Steve's acrobatics complimented him on his trick skiing. She raved, "Your circles are beautiful! Can you please teach me how to do them?"

He obliged of course and performed a few circles for his admiring fan. She thought he was an expert skier and did not realize that he was just going in circles to survive.

Isn't that the way it is sometimes? We may look at others and think that they have it all together. We may want to be like them, perform like them, be organized like them, or have well behaved children like them. But the truth is, they are probably going in circles, just like we are, doing whatever it takes not to go downhill backwards.

But as children of God, we don’t have to go in circles trying to keep up with the spiritual Joneses. We simply need to rely on His power, rest in His strength, and keep our eyes on His word. Wise David once said, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” The good news is that the Lord’s path is not circular or downhill, but level and straight.

 

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I am so glad that I don’t have to be anyone today except who You created me to be. Help me to avoid comparing myself to other women who “seem to have it all together.” Help me live my life for an audience of One – You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

 

 

Now it’s Your Turn

Is there someone to whom you tend to compare yourself?

 

If so, why do you compare yourself to her?

 

What do you think God would say to you about comparing yourself to someone else rather than being exactly who He has called you to be?

 

If you find yourself going in circles, stop, take a deep breath, and pray. Then proceed with clarity.

 

 

More from the Girlfriends

Just who has God created you to be? It’s all right there in God’s Word. If you would like to learn about who you are in Christ – your identity, see Sharon’s book Experience the Ultimate Makeover: Discovering God’s Transforming Power in Your Life. It will help prevent you from going in spiritual circles and walk the straight path that God has designed especially for you!