I used to struggle with thoughts like, “Where do I fit?” or “What’s my Purpose?” “What was I designed for?” plagued me as a kid and into my young adult life. So the byproduct was someone who was insecure, timid, afraid, and discouraged. I began to seek out different groups in school where maybe, just maybe, I could fit. The hippie crowd worked for awhile in high school because basically we didn’t have to deal with anything or anyone; just peace and love. Except I didn’t know the real meaning of those words. So I tried to find them in drinking, drugs, sex, and rock n roll. I became a party girl, who barely got by in high school and was everybody’s friend, as a long as we were having a good time! This lifestyle worked for a time, but left me emptier than ever. I had tried to drown out that voice inside: “Who is Mary?” and “What is she meant to do?”
Can anyone relate? I’m sure that I’m not the only one who has had a lot of these kind of questions. Life began to change for the better when I met my wonderful husband of almost 40 years! I was deeply in love with him and still am. I thought maybe he could help me discover who the heck I was! He tried and was a great source of encouragement, still is, but there was still that hole… I wasn’t whole! At the age of 22 I met Jesus and began a lifelong relationship with Him. He began to answer the questions that I’d had all my life, through His Word and His Spirit, and I’m so thankful. I was pretty much a mess inside, but piece by piece He began putting the puzzle of my life together. I began to love who He made me to be, and all the quirks, weird sense of humor, and most of all giftings He’s seen fit to give me.
A revolutionary thought came in my thirties, that I didn’t have to be like everyone else. I could be Me. That’s who my husband needed, that’s who my children needed, that’s who the world needed! I was created to love, to encourage, and to bring hope to a world that certainly is looking for it. Whenever I tried to be someone else or a copycat, it didn’t set right, it didn’t work. It was like putting your shoes on the wrong feet! Ever do that? Yep, shoes are on, but just doesn’t feel right does it? And it looks funny to everyone else!
There is nothing more beautiful than when someone who is swimming in their lane, being who God has created them to be! Even when the world doesn’t understand, you know deep in your heart who God has created you to be!
Here’s a Beautiful Example:
Michael Phelps is one of my favorite athletes of all time. He has overcome difficulties and adversity to become a champion. Michael discovered at an early age that a fierce competitor lived inside him. His mother put him in the pool at the age of 7 to help him expend some of his hyperactive tendencies. He overcame the fear of putting his face in the water, and learned the backstroke first. As time went on, his passion and his determination began to grow and in 1996, he wanted to be a champion swimmer. He said, “I want to be the best Michael Phelps I can be.” Boy, what a statement. Not only did he compete against the other swimmers, but he competed against himself to become better and better and better. I love that because he stayed in his lane! I learn so much from his example!
This verse comes to mind, “Do you not know that in a race all the swimmers swim {I changed it} [their very best to win] But only one receives the prize? Swim [YOUR race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours!” 1 Corinthians 9:24
Your Race! What if we actually became the best version of ourselves? We can only do it with God’s help! But we can do it! Does it say to swim with perfection? No, but keep swimming! Get up and swim again! I’m sure there were times when Michael didn’t feel like it, but he kept doing the next ‘right thing’! And look where it got him! 28 Olympic medals, 23 of which are gold! Six days a week and six hours a day in the pool did that! Hard work, determination, and his gift enabled him to excel in his lane.
I will never be an Olympian, but I can be the best me possible! It’s God’s gift to everyone I come into contact with. It’s God helping me with the best attitude when things are tough, it’s God helping me serve my family and others with a heart of compassion. It’s God helping me to get back up again when I fall! It’s God helping me be who He wants me to be!
My encouragement to you is to discover what your lane is. Ask Him and He’ll send you on a great adventure of discovery. He’ll show you your purpose! He’ll help you just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! He’ll use you to be a major blessing to this world!