Following the Purpose God Has Given Us
“Sometimes we find our way forward by laying down the armor that never belonged to us.” – Sandi
The Mouse...
We have a mouse in the workshop.
I haven’t had a proper introduction, but my husband caught a glimpse of him racing across the concrete floor. Honestly, I don’t need to see him. Just knowing he’s there is enough to keep me out of both the workshop and the barn.
A mouse can run seven to eight miles per hour. Compared by body length, that would be like a human traveling well over one hundred miles per hour. No wonder my husband caught only a glimpse.
The Cats...
What I don’t understand is why the barn cats haven’t caught him. We provide them with food, water, and a safe place to sleep. In return, they’re supposed to keep the barn and workshop free of mice.
They have plenty of energy when a squirrel crosses their path, but most of the time, they bask in the sunshine with full stomachs while the mouse races through the workshop as if he owns the place. They have become complacent.
The Curious Daisy Mae...
Since the cats showed no interest, we placed a sticky trap in the barn with a little peanut butter. Unfortunately, our curious golden retriever, Daisy Mae, found it first.
By the time we discovered her, the trap was tangled in her fur and stuck to her feet. It took a bit of work to loosen the trap and remove the stickiness.
Then she needed a bath, which she always enjoys. By that point, our attempt to catch a mouse turned into an unexpected spa day for Daisy Mae.
The peanut butter was appealing, but it wasn’t meant for her. She reached for something without knowing where it might lead.
Inspiration or Comparison?
That little mishap made me wonder how often I do the same thing. It’s easy to be inspired by people we admire. But sometimes inspiration becomes comparison, and we begin measuring our lives against theirs.
What another person is doing may be exactly what God has called them to do but not His plan for us. Think sticky trap. Peanut butter. Something can be appealing without being meant for us.
Perhaps the question is, “Lord, what have You placed in my hands?”
David's Armor
David’s story is a wonderful reminder. Everyone saw a young shepherd facing a trained warrior. Goliath had armor, weapons, strength, and experience. David carried a shepherd’s staff and a sling. (Read 1 Samuel 17:32-50.)
Saul gave David his armor, but it didn’t fit. David took it off.
Through years of tending sheep, protecting the flock, and trusting the Lord, God prepared David for this encounter with Goliath.
David said to Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty” (1 Samuel 17:45 NIV).
God is not asking us to become someone else. He calls us to trust Him with what He has placed in our hands.
Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to run with perseverance “the race marked out for us.” We can learn from one another, encourage one another, and even run beside one another without following the same path.
I have friends with different gifts. One writes songs, another creates art, another bakes, and one has a way of speaking words that encourages others. Each uses their gifts to invest in the lives of others. My Aunt Edie baked cakes and made prayer shawls. Prayers, handwritten cards, or a few minutes spent listening may not seem important. Yet God uses those acts of love and kindness in ways we may never see.
And what about those well-fed barn cats?
Before I judge them too harshly, perhaps I should ask whether comfort has ever caused me to overlooked something God placed before me. His blessings are gifts to enjoy, but comfort can sometimes cause us to stop paying attention.
Daisy Mae reached for something that was never meant for her. The cats seem content to let someone else do what they were meant to do. But David trusted God and faithfully used what he had been given.
My we recognize what God has placed in our hands, what He has not, and remain faithful to His purpose. There we find freedom.
Pause and Reflect
- Is there someone whose life has inspired me? Has that inspiration ever become comparison?
- Am I trying to wear someone else’s “armor” rather than recognizing how God has prepared me?
- What might God have already placed in my hands that I can offer Him today?
Where Do We Go From Here?
Perhaps we can take a few moments to consider the life God has given us. Our experiences, abilities, relationships, and opportunities may not look like anyone else’s, but they are part of the way He has prepared us. We can begin with what we have, right where we are. Use what God has placed in our hands.
And if we happen to have a barn cat, we might want to remind it to do the same.
The Heart Comes Home
A Conversation with God
“Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge” Psalm 62:8 (NLT).
Prayer is a conversation with our Father. Here we come just as we are, bringing the things we carry, what we hope for, and things we don't understand. No perfect words are required. This is simply a place to be still, open our hearts, and talk with God.
Father, thank You for the gifts, experiences, and opportunities You have placed within our hands. Forgive us when inspiration becomes comparison and we lose sight of the person You created us to be. Help us appreciate the faithfulness of others without overlooking the life You have given us. Lead us back to the path You have marked out for us. Teach us to recognize the ways You have prepared us and to use what we have received with gratitude. May our lives bring honor to You in every task, whether it appears great or small. In Jesus name, Amen.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” — 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV).
Before we leave, take a few moments to listen to “Thank You” by Ray Boltz. The song reminds us that we may never know, this side of heaven, how God has used the small things we offered Him. A heartfelt prayer, a handwritten card, a meal carried to a friend, or a few minutes spent listening may reach farther than we can see. Like David’s stone placed in God’s hands, what seems ordinary to us can become part of something eternal. As you listen, consider what God has placed in your hands and the lives He may touch through your faithfulness.