Hey, I have a confession. Sometimes I really try to have it all.
Do it all. Say it all. Hear it all. See it all. Save it all. Dream it all. Figure out it all. Solve it all. Experience it at all. Accomplish it all. Be it all.
……And the worst? I often expect others to have it all.
I came to this realization of myself several years ago. It was a hard one to accept, simply because I didn’t want to accept my shortfalls or the shortfalls of other people. Though I’ve gotten better, I still struggle sometimes with my standards of self and my standards of others.
Another confession? I set such high standards for myself when creating this blog that I rarely post. In my mind, if it’s not an A+ piece to me, then no one else needs to hear it. If it’s not earth-shattering, then I have no business in posting it when the world is already loud and full of countless, self-proclaimed experts (especially when I may overlook a typo)!
But today? God is nudging me.
He knows I know I’m not an expert, but he’s also reminding me he doesn’t call “experts.” He gives gifts, and it’s our responsibility to use those gifts and to go where he sends us.
So…..I’m hoping that just maybe, this simple, transparent, genuine blog post will help someone else out today. Maybe it doesn’t have to be the deepest, the most articulate and the most revolutionary thing I’ve ever shared with you. Maybe the message is in the shortfall of this blog in itself.
Maybe a little simplicity is what this complicated world needs right now.
So here it is guys: NO ONE has it all. There isn’t a writer that produces A+ material every. single. time. They may tell you they do, but they don’t. They probably just aren’t sharing their B+ material with the world.
There isn’t a basketball player that makes every. single. shot. You just may not ever see them miss.
There isn’t an actor who gets everything on the first take, every. single. time. You just happen to see the completed film.
There isn’t a doctor who never gets stretched, challenged or confused by a patient at some point.
There isn’t a photographer that takes the award-winning shot every time. Sometimes even the best realize the pose or setting just wasn’t quite contest worthy.
There isn’t a family, a friendship or a marriage that never ever experiences conflict. The social media photos people post only give you a tiny look into their lives…..not the full picture. My Pastor once said something along the lines of, we often compare our lives to other people’s “highlight reels.” Man, has that stuck with me.
Highlight reels are not the full picture, all day, every day….because:
There isn’t a talent that has it all.
There isn’t a career that has it all.
There isn’t an area that has it all.
There isn’t a home that has it all.
There isn’t a “dream come true” that has it all.
And most important to remember, there isn’t a person that has it all. Does it seem like some people come close? Of course! Sometimes I play the comparison game and think, “DANG! I wish I could be more like them.” Does it seem like some families or relationships can come to having it all. YES. Some are so close to perfect, that you’ll never even be able to see the few flaws, that only God knows they have.
Does this mean we shouldn’t strive for excellence? No way! Does this mean we shouldn’t work to be the best Jesus follower, employee, parent, sibling, friend and spouse we can be? Of course not! In fact, I hope you’re working on that every day. In the meantime, I will be too.
Here’s why we can’t have it all though, guys: There is only ONE who has it all, and only ONE who will EVER have it all. HE is the only one who is even capable of having it all. His name is Jesus Christ. He knew no sin, and he knows no limits. We knew sin, and therefore we have our limits, but if we serve the one who is limitless…..the results can be limitless. We can’t be Him, and we never will be. However, when we put our lives in the hands of the one who has it all, he can do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ever ask or imagine.
We can and most definitely should strive to be like Him, but ultimately, He’s always going to be above all.
Honestly, that feels like really good news to me today. I don’t know about you, but for me, it gets exhausting trying to have it all. It gets exhausting on the hamster wheel. It gets exhausting being a perfectionist. And exhausting trying to take on roles and do jobs that only He can do…..and it gets so exhausting trying to solve problems that only He can solve.
There is a time to do a serious inventory of oneself, and there is a time to confront others. There is a time to reevaluate where your life is going, and there is a time to make changes. But sometimes? There is a time where we just need to relax and be content with “not having it all.”
Why? Well, because when we’re content with not having it all, we open the door and invite God’s limitless power into our lives. God’s power is best magnified in the humble….in those who realize they don’t have it all. It’s best magnified in those who realize how much they need Him. It’s really difficult for an arrogant, prideful person to enjoy the abundance of the Christian life. If we think we’re equal to God, and that we have it all, how can we really live our best lives? How can we really have an authentic relationship? How can we really see the results we want to see?
When I expect others to have it all, I’m holding them to an unfair standard. I’m expecting them to be perfect like God…and they’re simply not capable of it. When I expect myself to have it all, I’m holding myself to an unrealistic standard that I’ll never ever be able to achieve. I’m simply not capable.
It’s days like today that I think of what the Lord has been laying on my heart for about 12 years now:
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9.
Friend, you don’t have to have it ALL. Please free yourself of that expectation right now. Why?
Because HE has it all, and HE is more than enough….. Therefore, today and always, you are more than enough, simply because you serve Him.
Let his power rest on you.