I think we all struggle, certainly at times, with a fear of whether or not our life will have stood for something that makes a difference. We all long to leave our mark on this world.
I don’t know about you, but I have many times fought the internal battle of wanting to do so much more. Thoughts of knowing 
that I was created for so much more. Thoughts of, “this can’t be all there is for my life.” And then, there’s the constant questioning: “how will I be remembered?,” “will I have (finally) made my children proud?,” ” will God forgive me that I didn’t do more for His Kingdom?”
In this series of blog posts, I have been discussing topics from the book, “What Women Fear: Walking in Faith that Transforms” by Angie Smith. One of the topics is “Fear of Not Being Significant.” I love the way Angie brings this topic right up front and center. The use of the word “significant” pushes this to a new level for me. Maybe it’s just me, but when I let the word “significant” rest in my heart, I feel a huge desire to apologize and seek God’s forgiveness. I wonder why I think my life should be more significant that the life of Jesus.
Before anyone yells at me, I don’t think any of us consciously think that our lives should count for more than our Savior’s. But, it occurs to me that in all my struggles about wanting my life to be so much more, I never saw that all my time spent striving and worrying about my life, took my focus away from His life. And, the fact that I don’t have to constantly strive for significance because He has already made my life so much more.
I know we all struggle with hoping we will live out our purpose. We want to hear, “well done, good and faithful servant.” I would never suggest that we shouldn’t be concerned and always seeking to fulfill God’s calling on our lives. But, I hope you can see that when the concern becomes a stranglehold of fear that locks us into a pattern of worrying about our own significance, we are seeking significance in all the wrong places.
Jesus lived the most significant life of anyone. He died that we could live. We were created in His image. Our significance is already great. Our mark on the world is already here. We are already so much more.
Let us not rely on standards we, or the world, sets of what our lives should count for. Let us seek the face of Jesus making our relationship with Him our greatest concern. This will keep our hearts in the right place to not seek our significance according to the world’s standards. To remember the One who has already given us all the significance we need. And, to not work so hard at being so much more that we lose sight of our Savior.
Certainly, there is much more to this topic than can be fully dealt with in a blog post. If this is something you struggle with, I hope you will contact me as I would love to talk with you. Contact me here
April 9 – 12, 2015 at the “Serenity” intimate retreat for women in Branson, MO we will dive into this and other topics that women fear.
I am so EXCITED to see how God works through each of us to see our fears for what they are and to eliminate the power they have over us! Time is running out – don’t delay as space is very limited. Check out all the details here –> SERENITY RETREAT.
Thank you, Debbie. This was a powerful message for me – I think we ALL struggle with this! And I tend to be so much more self-critical of my own failings, more than anyone else.
Oh, Carl! I get that. I, too, can be a very tough critic of myself. Allowing God to teach me through it always helps.
“Let us seek the face of Jesus making our relationship with Him our greatest concern. ”
Love this. Making our relationship with Him our greatest concern is an awesome goal. Staying focused and mindful of this goal is a challenge but so worth it when we find ourselves in this place.
Thanks for the encouragement to keep sight of our Lord!
Rayna
One of the ways to keep this goal in sight is to begin each day with the Lord. I encourage those I am blessed to work with not to get bogged down with some set amount of time needed to do this. Some days just are what they are and even 5 minutes to focus on one line of scripture and to say a quick prayer is better than rushing into the day.
You said, ” We were created in His image. Our significance is already great. Our mark on the world is already here. We are already so much more.” And I say, “Preach it Sista!” I remember years ago that I was recurrently wailing to the Lord, “I’m so ordinary, I can’t stand it.” But He showed me that He deeply loved the “ordinary” Kinsey, and He loved on me so much that I was eventually set free from needing to be extraordinary. Love Him so! He truly can fill our deepest desires – one of which is significance.
Well said Kinsey! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Thank you Debbie, this really ministered to me today. The words “so much more” especially caught my attention with something that God has been putting on my heart. Thanks!
I’m really glad this touched you Mary Lou. It is a topic that far too many women struggle with.
I love this reminder, that because of Jesus and His Life – I already have great significance. That’s where I want my focus to be.
I’m thankful that we have one another to help stay focused on Truth!