My husband and I have been redoing our floors. As I was putting all my strength into it and giving it my all, I felt discouragement come over me. I had watched my husband run in circles around me; doing things at a much more efficient pace. I loudly proclaimed both excitedly and a little bummed that though I was getting things done, that I was not going as fast as he was. My youngest reminded me what I told him, that it is not a competition, that I just need to do my best. Friend, that was a great reminder. So often we get frustrated with ourselves when we are not doing something as well as someone else. In the comparing, we lose sight of just how far we have come and just how much we accomplished with the gifts and strengths God has given us. Though my husband can do the work we are doing now much better than myself, I am still very helpful and useful. There are somethings that I can do more efficiently than him, yet he is still helpful and useful. Friend, God gave us all our own skill set and I am grateful for my son’s reminder of this. If there is something that you are being hard on yourself about, remember what you can do and praise God for all that you have done and accomplished! Though we may not be masters at everything, we are always helpful and useful when we do our personal best, with what strengths God has given us.

Erin Fitts-Brower

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 NIV

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.