“God comes first… God comes first.” Sometimes I really feel like I’m in a war zone and fighting the enemy: myself. If you are in my shoes, you may find yourself tempted to skip what God wants you to do in favor of diving into activities that pique your interest, like gardening or playing badminton. As someone with so many interests, it hasn’t always been easy to stay focused and dedicated to what God has called me to do. It wasn’t without its challenges.
Our current world is not suitable for following God’s will, is it? Our days are often filled with work schedules, personal responsibilities, and hobbies we want to pursue. That’s one of the reasons why we sometimes feel completely depleted of spending quality time with God or even doing God-centered work. Compared to previous generations, we have far more distractions from God and the work we need to do for Him.
With our new technology, social media, etc., it’s very easy to get pulled in all directions. Have you ever been glued to your phone for more than an hour? If you’ve ever wanted to accomplish something but let yourself down due to lack of discipline or self-confidence, no matter how talented you are, you’ll have moments like this. Maybe you’ve tried to put yourself out there and expand your circle of influence (not for selfish reasons), but ended up backing away for fear of being ridiculed or even ostracized.
For people who are timid, reclusive, and unsure of what they are capable of achieving, facing obstacles that prevent them from getting where they want to go can be a daunting task. Applying for your dream job at a well-established company, moving to another country, taking on a challenging job, fulfilling your God-given mission, and the list goes on.
In that regard, I found some somewhat drastic advice from a behavioral therapist on how to achieve what I set my mind to. It is about brainwashing yourself to embody the ideal person you want, helping you dramatically change your personality, behavior, habits, in short, becoming someone you are not.
As life coaches often say, “Nothing will change until you change.” Unless we do that, change will not happen. Therefore, if you want to see results that break out of the norm, that are somewhat different from the norm, then you need to start a complete overhaul or makeover to be able to achieve the most desired results, or those that you sincerely desired.
Needless to say, my curiosity took over as I needed to change things about myself. Things that hold me back through self-doubt and, above all, things that hold me back from growing.
But to follow that advice, you need to adopt a bold and confident personality: fearless, independent, untouchable and unstoppable. It is important to fulfill your role and be effective. So if we want to be that brave and confident version of ourselves, we need to develop a bolder, more irresistible personality.
I found that advice motivating. Plus, I did it years ago and it worked. At the time, I was a novice teacher and was asked to work as a substitute instructor for a university professor teaching business English to graduating commerce students. I was surprised. As you know, the students were notorious for their unruly and cruel behavior. They even made some professors cry. One of them is one of my closest friends.
I had no choice but to radically change my personality and temperament and adopt some strategies to command fear and respect. My mantra at the time was, “I’d rather be hated and respected than liked and despised.” If I’m nice, they’ll swallow me whole. So, even though I was only 21 years old at the time, I managed to finish the course unscathed. Those unruly students actually became the most disciplined students I have ever taught. When you enter the classroom, you won’t even hear a small murmur. Oh… if they knew how much I was afraid of them they would be completely shocked.
Dramatic personality changes, controlled behavior precisely calibrated to near perfection, and several strategies that helped me not only survive the challenges of dealing with unruly and destructive youth, but thrive through them. When you think about it, there’s a fine line between quiet confidence and a self-absorbed, responsible, can-do attitude that God avoids and hates.
“God resists the proud;
But grace is given to the humble” James 4:6 NKJV.
Therefore, we may feel like we are in a dilemma. “How can I exude confidence without being arrogant?” Or do you project confidence while remaining humble?
This is especially true when God calls us to be meek as lambs.
what is meekness
To be meek is to forget oneself and cater to the wishes of others;
Obedient, accommodating, and without the slightest resistance. It means living for others, not for yourself.
We know that this definition can lead to abuse.
So, is this what it means to be meek? Or is there more to it than meets the eye?
We’ve all been in that situation, trying to tread lightly and not rock the boat. But if you read the Bible, you will see that meekness is not completely passive. Yes, we are told to remain humble and practice humility. Because that is the mark of a faithful Christian. But anxiety and self-doubt have no place in our lives as God’s servants. As believers, we should be bold and carry God’s torch. But we need to make sure that the brand of confidence we wield is rooted in Christ alone. Because that’s the only way we can find our voice without losing the heart of Christ.
Imitate the meekness and humility of Jesus
Jesus may have been described as meek as a lamb, yet confident as a lion when the time comes. He never once showed anxiety or doubted himself. God knows who He is. When the scribes and Pharisees brought Jesus into the discussion, Jesus took the stand to advocate what he believed. He was not passive in confronting deceptive preaching and false doctrine. He stood his ground. Boldly stand up for the truth and defend God’s name.
“Your enthusiasm for the house eats away at me.
And the insults of those who insult you will be upon me. ” Psalm 69:9 NIV
So…what does it really mean to be meek?
Meekness is a wonderful Christian quality, but practicing meekness without wisdom can also be a sure path to trouble. Being meek does not mean catering to other people’s sinful desires or cowering to people’s corrupt views. It is practicing meekness when the circumstances that call for it are consistent with God’s will.
The power of playing a role
Having this kind of courage that comes from knowing who we are in Christ allows us to be meek in spirit yet bold in truth.
“Do not be afraid, I am with you.
Do not be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you.
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ”Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
Therefore, be meek, as God has commanded you. But not to the point where you allow people to disrespect you or trample on you. Remember that the only time Jesus suffered great contempt and abuse was when he was sentenced to be crucified. He was to be like a lamb to the slaughter. He had to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7 NKJV.
“He was oppressed and tormented;
Still he didn’t speak.
He was led to the slaughter as a lamb;
And as a sheep is silent before its shearers,
So he didn’t speak. ”
We can be meek and still stand up for what is right. So did Jesus, and so did the rest of his servants.
Therefore, your living with dignity is the work of God, “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:13-14 NIV
Because as a child of a mighty God, you can grow and overcome fear as you do your part to expand your Father’s kingdom here on earth. Walk in the light of your identity in Christ, rooted in God’s authority, stepping into that role and living faithfully to it.
“You made them a little lower than angels.
and crowned them with glory and honor.
you have made them masters of the works of your hands
You put everything at their feet. ” Psalm 8:4-6 NIV
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Tamer Dagas
Liz Pineda holds a degree in English Education from Assumption University in the Philippines. She is an English teacher by trade, but currently works as a freelance writer for online publications and e-commerce websites. Although she enjoys writing for a variety of niches, she still finds creating content for the Christian community the most fulfilling.
