Real World, Part 2

The blessings of God are evident everyday in our lives.  There are some days that these blessings may be more spectacular or special than other days nevertheless daily blessings are present.  I am confident that I am privileged to walk in those blessings and I want to offer my praise to God who is watching over me on a daily basis. 

The Lord reminded me of a understanding that He has given to me over the past years of my life and I want to take this opportunity to share it with you.  Some of you may have heard me make reference to this in various sermons that I have shared around the country during my journey as a Minister of the Gospel but I feel that it needs to be said again today.  For many years I struggled with the knowledge that my life was being shaped by the opinions, desires, plans, and decisions of other well meaning people that God had placed in my life.  There were times that I was shaped and molded by their desires more than I was shaped and molded by the desires that God had placed in my life.  I was concerned with the opinions of people more than I was concerned with developing the person that God had created.  I do not want this to mean that I am not concerned about others and that I am determined to live my own life with no regard for others.  I don't believe that any true servant/believer should allow that attitude to capture their thought process.  But I am convinced that many of us have struggled to reach our full potential in our development because we have focused on the desires of others for our lives and not focused on the plan that God has set in motion for each of us. 

I have reached the place that I like myself and that I am determined to allow the Holy Spirit to develop me into the best person that I can be.  I enjoy being Michael Willingham and I enjoy living the life that God has given to me.  I don't want my life to be defined by a spirit of competition with others; I don't want my life to be defined by a spirit of jealousy and covetousness of others; neither do I want my life to be defined by a spirit of comparison to others.  I want to live my life to the fullest and to faithfully pursue the goals and dreams that God has placed in my heart.  I will certainly not ignore others and choose to walk the lonely road of arrogance and pride but I will choose to walk the path that God placed me on when He brought me into this world.  Take a moment today, look in the mirror at God's creation and recognize the gift of life that He has placed in YOU.  Don't waste the precious gift called life.  Don't waste the precious opportunity of personal development that awaits anyone who will apply themselves to that opportunity.  Don't waste your time envying others but enjoy your identity and your blessings that have come from God.