Stop Comparing Your Calling

I'm wondering do any of you have a love/hate relationship with social media I'm curious did any of you like with maybe Instagram or Facebook whatever your your your source says you have a love-hate relationship with it okay like I love the fact that I can stay in touch with what's going on and the lives of my friends and see their funny silly pictures and be inspired and see who's having kids or what their kids are doing I love that part of it but sometimes I hate it I hate it when what I get sucked into if we're too long or when I'm having a perfectly good day and someone else is having a better day than mine and then sometimes I feel like my life sucks does that happen to any of you ever like you start to compare and you feel like my life is not going so good at all I'm going to talk about a little bit about the curse of comparing and I thought we've covered before is this the fastest way to kill something special is to compare it to something else the very fastest way to kill something that's otherwise very special and meaningful is to compare it to someone else I don't know about you but I don't just compare what someone else has like I know some people like she's got more shoes than Nordstrom's and I hate that or you know you used to be when you go on vacations like in that his third vacation of the year and I'm not going anywhere like the only place I'm going is like loss backyard O's you know whatever and I don't just compare you know what someone has or or where they're going but the thing that gets me sometimes is what I compare what they can do that I can't do talented people that are good at so many different things for example there are a lot of things I'm not good at one is I'm not handy like I you could say I'm McCain mechanically challenged I can't fix anything I can barely fix a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and another thing is like I can't sing at all those of you that watch the midweek service Wednesday night 7:00 p.m. central Daylight Time there's a little commercial for yes that was intentional that by friends like why are you always reaching down and play with the side of your pants the reason is I'm turning my microphone off but so one of our worship liebe for Pastor Steven leaders in worship because I can't sing if my you heard my vocals you probably never come back to church ever you might not follow God if my vocals are so bad I'm I can't fix anything and I can't sing what's a problem for me though as my bride Amy really seems to appreciate when someone repairs something makes something or has a great voice and sometimes that makes me feel a little bit inadequate she'll say something like hey we should go see so-and-so you know her husband made this amazing table and chairs from Mike the ground up is like so incredible and he rewired the house and did an add-on I'm like yeah but can he preach a sermon probably nod but she's totally all chilly all his voice is so amazing did you hear his voice like yeah but I swear he can't do nunchucks I promise you he can't do magic I find myself comparing sometimes and feeling a little bit inadequate the curse of comparing because I can't do what they can do if you've ever felt like that the reason you can't do what someone else can do is because you weren't called to their purpose you weren't created by God to do what they were created by God to do that's why the title of today's message is stop comparing your calling whatever you do stop comparing your calling to someone else's let's pray wherever you are father we ask that your spirit would speak an empowering word to our hearts today that your word would build up our faith with confidence that we are created by you to do what you called us to do to serve your purpose we don't need to compare but God to be satisfied excited and fulfilled by your purpose for us God speak to us and build our faith we pray in Jesus name and everybody said amen type it in come on just type it in amen amen let's let's review we're in a message series called there is a reason in the first week we talked about the purpose in your pain sometimes God's preparation comes packaged as pain in other words if you're hurting there purpose in your pain last week we looked at three principles your purpose is not for you your purpose is for God it's not about you it's about him we looked at this that you don't find your purpose you serve God's purpose if you want to serve God's purpose you start serving God's people today I want to add two additional thoughts the first one is this I hope you'll embrace this internalize this live this that you are perfectly created by God to fulfill God's purpose for you you have everything you need to do everything that God created you to do you are perfectly designed by the great designer to fulfill his divine purpose for you in fact the Apostle Paul said this to the believers in Ephesus Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 he said for we are God's masterpiece I love that we're his masterpiece he's created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we could do good things he planned for us long ago this is an amazing thought to recognize pastor Steven that long before you were born God gave you the gifts that you had to do what you just did today because you are his masterpiece in fact the Greek word to all of you husbands who can make tables and chairs the Greek word for masterpieces pull him I bet you didn't know that how about that it means like the poetic work like you're you are the poetic statement of God because he created you exactly as he wanted you to fulfill his purpose I love this bumper sticker I saw this said on the back of a car said God don't create no junk I hope you'll realize that God knew exactly what he was doing when he made you you were not an accident God don't create no junk the only problem with that bumper sticker it was on a junker car but that's beside the point God doesn't create any junk you're not an accident everything that God creates he creates for a purpose in other words your birth is evidence that your purpose is necessary there is no substitute for you you are perfectly designed by God to the Phil his very specific purpose for you now because you're created by God and for God we were to do everything for his glory for him not for us it's for him the problem is so many of us we end up doing things for our own reasons or for somebody else we will we will do it for someone else's approval or we're trying to impress them like who are you doing that for well I'm doing it for them because of what they think I'm going to lose them and why do you care about what they think like who's they who are they well I just I want it I want to know what them to like me who's them if you they like you today they may not like you tomorrow and them's gonna change and they're gonna change as you go through life anyway but we're doing it for their approval so that they will like us here's the challenge comparison is the enemy of calling any time we start to compare what someone else is doing and what they think this robs us of our calling comparison is the enemy of calling why number two because you can't fulfill God's purpose for you when you're comparing to someone else you'll never be able to do what God uniquely created you to do when you're always looking what she's doing what he's doing what they're doing what they think you can't fulfill your calling when you're comparing to somebody else and like I want to show you one of my favorite funny portions of scripture not only is the Bible living and active and sharper convicts and corrects and encourages and inspires but it's funny if you read the Bible you should read the Bible there's some really really funny stuff in here you'll be changed and you might even laugh if you read it right I'll show you a portion in John 20 that's just hilarious to me it's about John and Peter back when I was in cemetery excuse me back when I was in seminary years ago that's oh that's a bad preacher joke back when I was in seminary I had a professor that said that John and Peter likely had a rivalry and they were always comparing like you look at the disciples like who's the greatest who's the most important Jesus who gets to ride shotgun that's my translation of who gets to sit next to you at the table who's the most important and enjoy chapter 20 you can actually see this rivalry this comparison between Peter and John now if I were Peter I honestly probably wouldn't like John about me I love him but I've not may not like him your friends like that like you love him in the Lord but you don't want to be around him John was annoying I'll tell you why is annoying he referred to himself in third person that's annoying he called himself the one that people loved now if I'm just like just speak into your life right now if you refer to yourself in the third person just stop it now in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth don't do this okay that's annoying well pastor Craig thinks don't say that don't say that this is what John did and this may be one of the reasons why he annoyed Peter he referred to himself as the one that the disciple that Jesus loved and what I want to do is give you the context and I'm gonna show you something funny the context of John 20 it was Sunday morning the day of the resurrection the biggest day in history the tomb is now empty Jesus has risen from the dead so Jesus gave His life three days later he is risen from the dead and I want you to notice how many times John tells us that he's faster than Peter in a footrace it's in the Bible don't miss it watch this the tomb is empty Christ is risen and John is faster in a 50-yard dash watch this verse two John 20 so so Mary came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple the watch this the one who Jesus loved that's John that's annoying can you agree that's annoying type that in the chat that's annoying so here's John referring to himself she came to him and said they've taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they put him out the times with me how many times does he said so Peter and the other disciple this job started for the tomb both were running but the other disciple here's John talking about himself the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first there's one then Simon Peter came along where was Peter behind John there's number two and we're straight into the tomb finally the other disciple is John who had reached the tomb first also in her side three times John tells us and his gospel I got to the tomb faster than Peter comparing competing I'm imagining this the women come and say the tombs empty and Peter and John alike well we got to get there let's get there let's get there and then they fast walking who's going to be faster comparison kills calling it robs you from this John compared himself to Peter Peter compared to sister John who does Jesus like more whose most important who should sit in the most important place and maybe you do the same thing maybe you're a mom and you compare yourself to your annoying Pinterest mom friend you know I'm talking about its covet 19 and she's making homemade goodies for the kids and they're doing crafts and they're playing games every day and you can't find your kids because you made them disappear because they were making you crazy and you never want a home school again as long as you live right you might compare marriages it's this whole Cove in nineteen lock down and this couple they go on like little dates in their living room where they dress up put candles on and they have family devotionals and they go on walks and you're just praying to make it through without making someone disappear in your own home your marriage is maybe a little bit struggling while so many people they're not or it could be anything she's got more followers he's got more influence she's in better shape than I am they have more money more bling or whatever it is comparisons it's it's a curse and it robs us of calling what's interesting about Peter and John is the story doesn't just end there but if you know and we talked about this a few weeks ago Peter denied Jesus before Jesus gave His life on the cross well after Jesus was raised from the dead Jesus had this powerful moment with Peter where he basically reinstated him or he forgave him and he restored him back to his calling his mission his purpose and he said to Peter do you love me and Peter's like yes I do and Jesus said your purpose is go feed the Sheep that's that's your calling you is what you're called to do do you love me yes yes then feed my sheep that's your purpose now watch what Peter did John 21 verse 20 Peter turned around and saw Bob behind him the disciple that Jesus loved so Jesus says here's your calling and the very next thing that Peter does is he looks at John Peter here's your calling and Peter's comparing to John Peter asked Jesus what about him what's his purpose what was his calling what's he gonna do and jesus replied if you want him to remain alive until I return what's that for you as for you follow me as for you feed my sheep I came to tell somebody they'd stop comparing your calling stop comparing what you were not designed to accomplish because you can't fulfill your calling you can't fulfill God's purpose when you're comparing to somebody else in fact the fastest way to kill something special is to compare it to something else that's what some of you right now you're miserable in your marriage because you're comparing your marriage to someone else's you're miserable of what you have you've got a nice place you've got nice things but you're comparing it you're comparing your kids some of you you're comparing your calling I'm not as important and I'm not making this kind of a difference and it's killing your calling embrace the truth the reality that you are created by God perfectly by God to fulfill God's purpose for you got everything you need to do everything that God created you specifically to do in fact I love what the author to the Hebrews says about our focus he says in Hebrews 12 verses 1 & 2 let us run with perseverance man how many of you know this season takes some perseverance let's not give up let's not grow weary in doing good let's remain faithful let's keep our eyes focused on the right thing let us run with perseverance and then the author to the Hebrews says the race marked out for us in other words there is a race that you're called to run your race is your race my race is my race you can't win my race I can't win your race run with perseverance your race fulfilling your calling serving God's purpose for you let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us then what do we do we fix our eyes on Jesus the author the Perfector the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith were fixing our eyes on Jesus he's the prize we're running the race that he created us to run thinking about him doing it for his glory it's impossible for me to run someone else's race and to win so we fixed her eyes on Jesus in fact I ran track I was like a track star in the 8th grade actually I wasn't very good but I did run in the 8th grade and one of things I remember was that the fastest way to lose a race is to look over your shoulder when you're running you look straight ahead the moment you look over the shoulder to see who else is running who else is catching you it breaks your stride it breaks your momentum and it takes you off of out of your lane the fastest way to kill something special is to compare it to something else stop comparing your calling you run your race you stay in your lane I'll preach my sermon someone else can make the tables that we sit on and usual a great meal you don't compare what you're doing with someone else because you are created to do what someone else is doing some of you might say well you know pastor Craig you wouldn't struggle with kind of comparing or whatever and in the early years of ministry this about like took me out some you might look at me now say we know now that you've you have a larger Church a larger influence you know you you must never ever ever battle with this oh my gosh no you can't out succeed your insecurities okay it doesn't matter how big whatever grows you've growing or how much of whatever you want you get your insecurities are still there and in the early years of ministry in my 20s and in my 30s I so much the time I was running the race like this who else is doing it and how fast is their church growing and what kind of influence they have and you know who's speaking at that conference and why did I get invited to that and how come I'm not friends with so-and-so and what why am I not there and one of the greatest revelations I had along the way and I don't always live in this but it was just realizing is I am not called to run someone else's race I can't win someone else's race and so there's great freedom now in looking at the people that are my friends and partners in ministry not my competitors not how do I rank compared to them but my friends our partners in ministry is saying when you're race be the best at what you're created to be make a difference in the way that only you can make a difference and it's freeing to say that's not my lane I'm in my lane I'm gonna stay in my lane I'm gonna keep my eyes on Jesus he is the author and the perfecter of my faith I'm running the race he created me to run guess what race I could run there's no one in the world that can love my bride the way I'm called to love my bride there's no one married to a me that makes me pretty dang special that I get to be with her that's my race and I will lay down my life with great honor to serve you nurture you honor you and all that we do and he gave me six kids and they all faithfully love Jesus that's a pretty big win you get two of them going in the same direction at the right time that's a big win six of them that's a miracle I guess a miracle from heaven and that that's my to help nurture them to raise them for whatever reason I have the ability to help build leaders we've got 34 of the greatest campus pastors in the world 34 the greatest worship pastors in the world 34 the greatest kids pastors in the world thirty four greatest of the student pastors in the world and some of the greatest leaders anywhere creating things like the YouVersion Bible app and Church online and free resources I build leaders that's my lane that's what I do and so with every bit of faith in me I'm gonna wake up every day and say I'm running my race that's something that I can do and in this season right now when our churches spread out and we're not gathered I wake up with everything in me thinking shepherd this flock love these people inspire them where they are to become more like Jesus to glorify God to recognize that God put inside of you exactly what he wanted to put inside of you to do exactly what he created you to do and just because you're limited right now in opportunity doesn't mean that you're stopped a limited situation does not stop God's calling his calling is on you he is for you he is with you he will never leave you he will never forsake you feel his presence embrace his calling step into what he's called you to do to fulfill his calling for you keep her eyes on the prize your eyes on Jesus just you might just do this every now and then what are you doing I'm running my race whatever your race is right now it might be that you're getting your degree it may be online now but you're getting your degree because you're called to this and you know in the next season you're gonna be fulfilling your calling then you're just doing what you're called to do it might be that you're leading a business and it's a small business it's not the biggest one but you're leading with integrity and faithfulness and you're representing Jesus at all that you do and everyone that you interact with know that your business is different that you do things to honor God you're just running your race you might have some friends and and you don't do some of the things they do in a Wilder lifestyle because you're called in a different leg and they may laugh at you and they may not understand but you just stay in your lane and you let your life be a witness saying I'm running my race you might have kids everywhere you're up your ears in diapers you just change those diapers for the glory of God this is the season you're in you're just running your race you're just being faithful or you're you're just loving people you're just making a difference you're letting the spirit and the love of God flow in you and through you and all that you do you're a faithful voice in your student ministry reaching out to your switch students even though you can't meet right now on Wednesday nights you're bold online sharing your faith your social media is not just about showing your fashion it's about showing your faith you can make a difference where you are do what you're created to do what are you listen you're the masterpiece of God created in Christ Jesus to do the good works that he prepared in advance for you to do long before you were ever born God knew that at this moment this time in history you are perfectly created to point certain people to know him keep your eyes focused on Jesus stop comparing your calling you can't win every race but you can when yours step into it embrace his calling we looked last week David served God's purpose in his generation one of the greatest things that we could ever know is that today I served Jesus's purpose success isn't some goal you achieve out there in the future success isn't when we get back to life as normal that's not success success is being faithful to Jesus today stop comparing the fastest way to kill something special is to compare it to something else God created you exactly where you are he knew this whole situation would hit and he knew that you would have exactly what he needs to make a difference in the life of someone else like comparing your calling step in to your purpose to serve God to serve his people exactly where you are father today I thank you that your church is the church whether the doors are open or not and I pray O God that your church your people would be inspired to serve your purpose for them stir up the gifts within them even where they are today to make a difference in this world to serve you and all that they do as you're praying today wherever you are those of you who say yeah I'm in I want I want to serve God's purpose today just lift up your hands you could just type it in the chat I'm in I want to I want to serve God's purpose I want to make a difference father I thank you that we don't have to wait until things go back to normal to make a difference in this world God used your church stir up with them a passion to see the gifts that you've given them serve your purpose to make a difference god I pray you give them divine insight give them an eyes to see needs in the world give them a heart to care God about those around them that are heard it we thank you God for a church of people ready to serve postured in position to do your will to fulfill your purpose God there's a reason there is a reason help us to recognize the reason for which we are created God to serve your purpose today not comparing callings but keeping our eyes on Jesus running our race staying in our lanes making a difference in this world as you keep praying today wherever you are living room bedroom watching in the kitchen in the back backyard whatever it is some of you you're gonna recognize something's really really missing in your life you might have thought for a long time it was something some accomplishment some amount of money some experience on something what I hope you'll recognize is that it's actually someone and I'm not talking about just a person that you could know but I'm talking about a person you can love the Son of God his name is Jesus he's perfect in every way and he loves you exactly as you are he loves you when the author to the Hebrews said it he said just keep your eyes on Jesus who is he the sinless son of God who died on a cross and God raised him from the dead so our sins could be forgiven and so that we could live eternally today there are those of you you recognize I need his forgiveness I need his mercy I want his power and I want to live his purpose just call on him right where you are when you call on his name his name is above every name God will hear your prayer he'll forgive your sins he'll transform your life and make you completely new on the other side of mobile devices and TVs and computers if there's something drawing you right now toward God there's there's something like pulling you what what is that it's not a coincidence it's not an accident you're watching today because the Spirit of God loves you he's drawing you into a relationship with himself just surrender where you are just say I've had enough I don't want to be in control anymore I need God's forgiveness I want I want to surrender my life Jesus I want you to be first that's your prayer just you can type it in the chat I want you to be first Jesus I'm giving you my life wherever you are today those who say I need him I need his grace right now at this moment just say yes I surrender to you you can lift up your hands in a moment of surrender you can click on line below it Church online and say yes you can type it in the chat yes Jesus I need you I want to I want your forgiveness I want to live according to your purpose and just pray wherever you are as we've got people all over the world surrendering to the lordship of Jesus Christ just pray Heavenly Father forgive my sins Jesus saved me make me new fill me with your spirit so I can know you personally so I can live for you daily and so I can serve you faithfully show me my calling my purpose the reason you created me help me to make a difference in the lives of people every day that I live my life is not my own Jesus I give it all to you thank you for a new life now you have mine in Jesus name I pray could you just worship right where you are till God thank you you can clap in the chat you can clap where you are as we see people around the world coming to faith in Christ what are you you're the masterpiece of God created anew in Christ Jesus to do the works that God prepared in advance for you to do because of who he is because of what he's done and because of what we're called to do today we give Him praise

Channel: Life.Church

Views: 59,907

Rating: 4.9527559 out of 5

Keywords: Craig Groeschel, Sermon, Life.Church, Lifechurch, life church, life church sermons, craig rochelle, groeschel craig, church sermons 2020, purpose, find your purpose, compare, comparison, comparisons, comparing, comparing yourself to others, compare your calling, don't compare yourself to others, stop comparing, how to stop comparing, how to stop comparing yourself to others, stop comparing yourself to others

Id: JQc6XyFO6to

Length: 29min 35sec (1775 seconds)

Published: Sat May 02 2020