Have you ever had this thought …. I wish I was more like (fill in the blank)?

Most of my life I have battled with my “strong willed” personality.

As a young girl I was known as bossy—a term used for strong leaders who want to control everything and tell everyone around them what to do.

For years, I truly thought I was the only female in the world wired this way.

I constantly questioned why I had to be so aggressive.

I began to despise who I was.

Most of my friends were fun, steady, sweet, or studious.

I really wanted to be like them, but when I attempted to imitate their behaviors, it always came across forced and fake.

Because it was.

God never designed me to be like them.

Yet there was still a constant struggle in me to find that balanced place where I could blend in, rather than stand out.

Learning to Be Confident in Who You Are

When I decided to follow Jesus, the conflict in me intensified.

How was I supposed to submit to my husband and still be the same girl God designed?

I almost felt like He was asking me to be two different people.

Of course, I fought the submission process, which led to all kinds of issues in my marriage.

I always felt like I was fighting. Always pushing.

Something about this demeanor seemed almost barbaric to me, but it was who I was and I didn’t know how to make it stop.

I resented this in myself.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Sometimes our strengths can appear to be weakness when we look at them through natural eyes.” quote=”Sometimes our strengths can appear to be weakness when we look at them through natural eyes.”]

Eventually I learned to tame the bossy when it came to my husband. However, the resentment toward my personality remained.

But God never makes mistakes in His creation. He intricately created each part of us with perfect intention in mind.

The problem wasn’t with how God had created me, but that I refused to embrace how He created me.

I wanted to be like everyone else.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 NIV

It’s amazing how God can change our perspective in an instant when we seek Him on a matter.

A few nights ago, my husband and I finally sat down to watch War Room.

It was during this movie that God truly gave me a glimpse as to why he created me strong.

After the scene where Miss Clara admits her reason behind helping Liz, I heard God clearly speaking to my heart, “This is why I’ve created you strong. Not so that you can fight people in the flesh, but so you can war against the enemy in the spirit.”

It made so much sense.

Divine moments that I had experienced over the years suddenly flooded my mind.

Waking up praying for people in the middle of the night.

The random church lady telling me, “You are small in statute, but mighty in spirit.”

Divine connections with intercessor prayer warriors.

Yes, it was all becoming clear.

I was made with intent. Created for a purpose.

God did create me feisty, but for a reason.

Not so I could fight in the flesh, but in the spirit, through prayer and declarations.

This has become one of my passions. I love to pray for people.

Do you believe you were made with intent?  Have you resented the way God created you?

I think at some level we all have things we want to change about ourselves.

But ultimately we have to confidently embraced who God made us to be if we want to walk in our purpose.

Know this, you were made with intent. God has a beautiful plan for your life, far surpassing what you can imagine. He knows all your talents and all your quirks.

He can and will use both!

Trust in Him, my friend. When you do, you will find rest in who you are.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT

 

Can I pray with you today?

Father I thank you that You have fearfully and wonderfully created each woman reading today. You have a purpose for each one of them, not one of them is an accident. Allow us to see the beauty in your creation of various personalities. Help us to embrace who we are, and not try to be what we are not. Thank you Jesus we aren’t all alike. What a boring world it would be! We come against any lie from the enemy that tells us we don’t fit in because we don’t act a certain way. Help us to always be true to our genuine selves, not desiring to be like others. We were not born to fit in, but to stand out. We are made with a purpose that only we can fulfill. Father, help us to see our place in society. Show us our most effective roles to express the talents you’ve given us. Equip us to fulfill our calling. In Jesus name, Amen!