Wish, Waste, Miss or Believe: It's Your Choice

Wish, Waste, Miss or Believe: It’s Your Choice

September 25, 2012 • 25 Comments

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Wish, Waste, Miss or Believe: It’s Your Choice

I used to wish I was a gifted speaker, in high demand.
I wasted time worrying, envying, striving.
I missed His whisper, the one calling me to write.
He called again. I answered.

I used to wish I was an extrovert, beloved by all.
I wasted hours grieving over the fact I’m an introvert’s introvert.
I missed quality time with my community, friends, family, Him.
He introduced me to the me He created me to be. I like her.

I used to wish love and acceptance had nothing to do with clothing size.
I wasted hours, days, years believing they did.
I missed out on joy, contentment, peace.
He showed me the gift of salvation was mine because He loved me ~ period.

These are three of many wishes and wastes which caused me to miss so much.

I don’t think I’m alone in this.

How about you? What wishes and wastes caused you to miss out?

When did you realize what you were missing and what did you miss?

What changed?

For me, I began believing HIM over him.

“For (I am) his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that (I) should walk in them.” ~ Ephesians 2:10

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;” ~ Jeremiah 1:5

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Titus 2 Tuesday / Inspired Tuesday

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Translation: ESV

http://www.facebook.com/cyndi.spivey Cyndi Long Spivey

Love these words Stefanie. We’ve all wished for things, funny I wished I wasn’t such an extrovert. I felt as a pastor’s wife I needed to be quiet and soft spoken. Have a great day!
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  Thank you, Cyndi!! How funny! As a pastor’s wife, I wish I was more extroverted by nature. He brings it out in me, but it’s supernatural, not natural.
  Thank you for sharing:))
http://memyselfandmercy.blogspot.com/ Mary Bonner

Oh, friend…I haven’t gone into detail yet, but this is a LOT of what has been bothering me lately. I wished to be what I am not! Beautiful words that speak to me. Thank you friend!
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  God knew, Mary:)) I struggled with what to share today, writing a post then trashing it. This is certainly what He wanted. So thankful…
  Love you and can’t wait to see you!!
http://www.dianadenis.com/ Diana Denis

Good Morning Stefanie. When I read this at 6:30 this morning something happened. Something shifted. The Lord reminded me (again) that who I used to be is not who I am anymore. I used to be rigid because I wanted to be perfect. I used to wish people would see my heart and not read my facial expressions. I wanted to be soft on the outside because I was a mush on the inside. God reminded me He wired me exactly as I am for a reason and that He wants to use the soft and the not so soft parts of me. He really wants to use the bold side of me so instead of fighting it I give it to Him. I’m still a work in progress but that struggle is in the past. What changed for me? I stopped listening to others and started listening to Him! Aren’t you glad you are wonderfully made in His image? I am!
PS I love the new look around here. It’s peaceful and inviting. Nice work:)
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  You are singing my song, Diana! I spent years comparing, envying, striving to be anything, anyone but who and what He created me to be. I didn’t understand who I was in Him.
  Thank you so much for your transparency, my friend. There are more of us than we think:))) May we continue to believe HIM and encourage each other.
  Thank you on my blog compliment. We’re nearly finished and I am truly pleased.
  Have a beautiful day, my friend.
Amy Tilson

So much opportunity and time was wasted wishing for different circumstances instead of taking advantage of where I was at any point in time. Looking back, it’s crazy to see how blind I was to what was right in front of me. Desire is an effective blinder at times, both good and bad.
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  You’re so right, Amy: “Desire is an effective blinder at times, both good and bad.” Good stuff!
  Thank you for your visit and comment, my friend:))
http://www.newequus.wordpress.com/ Mindy @ New Equus

As I was growing up I wished I was taller. I missed out on being the unique and “short” me. It changed when I realized it didn’t matter how tall I was. I was who I was and being short actually made me stand out and I didn’t get lost in the crowd!

Thanks for reminding me about that! it was so long ago, I had totally forgotten it!
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  Oh, for years I counted the height of my hair into my total height. It gave me 1-2 additional inches. Sadly, weight watchers burst my bubble.
  
  I love how you’ve embraced yourself, who God made you:) I absolutely, positively cannot wait to meet you in person:))
  - http://www.newequus.wordpress.com/ Mindy @ New Equus
    
    I know, I am so excited! =D
http://theemptynestexpress.com/ Ms. Kathleen

Excellent post… Isn’t it amazing how much time we waste when we should be focusing all our energy on serving him – however He calls us. I used to wish I was taller … No luck there! Ha! I used to wish I was more athletically inclined but part of that is my fault (lack of discipline)… But I’ve come so far now and am pretty content Bless You!
http://www.growingisbeautiful.com Courtney

Thank you for visiting my blog yesterday–and thus leading me to yours. This post is blessing me today–”To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are.” Oh, what incredible truth! I think I’ve been learning this in a million ways over a million days, but can there ever be enough reminders to stay the course? I resonate with the desire to be an extrovert–I’m definitely still figuring out how to be okay with being an introvert and what that means for my life and ministry. Thank you for the encouragement to pursue the person God wants me to be instead of wasting time wishing to be someone else. Grace to you, New Friend!
http://twitter.com/neritia neritia

Oh my am I glad I found your blog…! God’s using this post to remind me of how far I’ve come because of his Grace.
I use to wish for a different name…for many years. I wanted a name with a meaning…you know those name books people turn to for an explanation…well my name’s not in there and for many, many years it broke me. I was fixated on the fact that my name had no meaning! My name made me feel like nothing..! God changed that for me – and I am thankful.
I use to wish I had a “softer” voice. Even whispering seems loud to me. When I stopped listening to what others had to say about my voice – I was able to hear God’s voice – and once I heard His voice I knew I have a VOICE for a reason! Too bold I thought – for years I tried to hide – but as my faith and relationship with God grow and develop, I’m starting to step out and up!
As I turned my eyes to God and not people…change started to happen…and is still happening each and every day!
I am just so thankful that He kept nudging me…kept placing me in spots that called for me to rise above my fears. He made me, good!
http://www.canaanboundbrigade.wordpress.com/ Kim B.

When I was in high school I wished I was prettier & skinny. I was the athlete as I had the “athletic” body. I LOVED playing sports, but always felt less girly around the girly girly. Today, I’m a mom of 4 sports playing boys, married to a sports playing guy & am GLAD I AM an athlete & not a girly girl
Sharon O

Beautiful picture and thoughts.
http://twitter.com/WeLiveInspired Rebekah

When I was in high school I had acne and I used to always wish I had beautiful skin. I am also very fair skinned with dirty blonde hair and I used to wish that I could get a tan easily like all the other girls, and that my hair was not an in between shade, but either a gorgeous blonde shade, or a dark brown. Those would be my shallow looks wishes from when looks seemed to matter the most (highschool and early 20′s). Now I embrace who I am and if I want to look tan I can spray it on haha, if I want my hair to not be the sort of dull in between shade, I can add lighter golden highlights and it looks great. My acne cleared up in my adult years. Shallow wise I also used to wish I was more “popular” and had the attention of the cute boys at school too haha. So silly now…

I wished for more at times…more friends, more money, more accolades, because to the world these things often measure success. I have made the mistake of comparing myself to others in a looks way as mentioned above in the teen years, and in adult years in a “status” way. If I had the impressive job, house, money, or children like other people my age I know…etc….

What changed? Well as for the highschool stuff, I realized that high school can be a shallow environment and that I was a “late bloomer” so to speak and am beautiful just the way I am. It’s funny now, but I was so critical of myself then, and yet I had less stretch marks, was skinnier , and didn’t have my first gray hair yet. I missed out sometimes on embracing my youth and realizing I was beautiful-even with acne and awkwardness. Now that I am older I feel more comfortable in my own skin..extra pounds, imperfections, white hairs, whatever! I have learned how to enhance my beauty and I have also learned that beauty on the inside is your biggest asset in life.

As far as adult “status” Comparisons? God has shown me (a former perfectionist with occasional bouts of it still ) that I am not in control of life- He is. I don’t have to be in the same place in life as my peers to have value, I don’t have to have these things of the world…these things that look good on paper to the world, to be an amazing person. He has taught me that each path is unique. He has taught me that success is not measured by what kind of college degrees you have, income you make, number of kids, etc. Success is often an individual thing, and it’s certainly not all material. God shows me that success is in whether or not I am on the right path for me personally, if I am happy, if I am making a difference in the world somehow, if I am showing His love to others so that they too may see Him, If I am answering His calling, if I have the right attitude, and its in how I treat others also. These are the things of substance that matter, and I have wasted time with grief, worry, sadness, etc. thinking I needed to have a life more like so and so or a job like so and so has .
http://sheensteve.wordpress.com/ Sheena @ An Imperfect Life

I used to wish I didn’t have to leave my job and stay at home all day. I wasted several months being grumpy and discontent. God opened my eyes. He showed me what a privilege it was to stay home all day with my sons. He taught me that serving my family joyfully is a service rendered to Him… Beautiful, thought provoking post, Stefanie.
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  Thank you, Sheena! I think society trains us to believe staying home is not as important as holding down a job, having a profession. So thankful God opened both of our eyes to the importance of being home, available, present with our children.
http://www.the-cadence.com/ Amanda

This is beautiful. So simple and easy to read… but BAM! There it is. TRUTH. The way comparison can make one waste their life. Thank you for the reminder. I am so sharing this with my community. And goodness, Stefanie, we have a lot in common! I am excited for the chance to meet you at the end of the month!!
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  Thank you, Amanda! I, too, am super excited to meet in just a few days:))
Faith Konrath

I struggle with these kinds of things as well. I love the quote about wasting the person God has created us to be. So true! I wonder how it makes God feel when we act so discontentedly with his handiwork! Following along from Titus 2 Tuesday:)

http://the-life-of-faith.blogspot.com/
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  Welcome, Faith! I’ve often wondered that, too. I’m sure it saddens His heart.
  Thanks for stopping by:))
bluecottonmemory

Your photo – its beauty just pulled me in – the rain in the background, the shabby chic chair – and the divine roses – and your message layered it – isn’t that how we all are – living in puddles, surrounded by a shabby chic broken humanity – and right there is divine love from the Father – and He wants us to see the beauty in us in all that brokenness we are – because He put it there!

I started liking myself when I realized that I had traits that needed polishing, not eradicating – and then God started revealing, layer by layer – what He wanted me to be – and it was beautiful, comfortable, designed by HIm.

Your words, your art – so b lessed me!
- StefanieYoungBrown
  
  Oh, thank you!!! I absolutely love what you wrote here: “I started liking myself when I realized that I had traits that needed polishing, not eradicating – and then God started revealing, layer by layer – what He wanted me to be – and it was beautiful, comfortable, designed by HIm.” I’m going to marinate in this today:))