The one thing that struck me at Nathaniel Bassey’s album launch last year was the fact that he shared the stage with everyone.
The launch was held just after thirsty conference at our youth Church pastored by Pastor Nat and I and my friend decided to go for the album launch (even though we went late).
It was an awesome night!
I have video recordings of live ministrations of “Miracle worker” and it was amazing, I tell you.
But more than the presence of God that abounded during the ministrations, I learnt a lesson from how Pastor Nat was so willing to share the stage with everyone.
A group of his guys had put together “Imela” and a few of his songs in jazz version and Pst Nat introduced the songs to everyone at the launch and asked them to purchase one for themselves.
There were also worship CDs of other worship ministers at the launch and I remember mentally jotting down that “this is the way things should be done in the kingdom”.
I have written here before about how the kingdom works the opposite way from the way the world works.
You don’t hoard anything to yourself in the kingdom, you let go and give to get.
So also you don’t struggle to call attention to yourself and your fame in the kingdom, you call attention to God.
You don’t honour yourself in the kingdom, you honour God and then He honours you.
Nothing is about you in the kingdom, it’s all about God and the precious lives He wants to turn around.
I have been hearing “it’s not a competition” in my head for some days now and truth be told, the lesson in this pertain to both Christian writers and every other person who does ministry/any kind of service for God (but I had to place it in a category, hence the Christian writers tag)
There is a tendency for us to be tempted to go at God’s work with the world’s mind set.
What do I mean?
We keep striving and striving to be better than the next person and “show ourselves approved”.
But that’s not what God has called us into.
I would encourage us to please read 1Corinthians 12(It would clear up some silly thoughts in our minds).
We are all just serving God with our gifts in order to strengthen the church (ourselves).
So when another believer is shining forth with the gift in them, we should actually rejoice and be glad because it means that more lives are being reached for the kingdom!
And truth be told even, it’s not about me, neither is it about you.
Before I went offline last two weeks, God totally dealt with me on “selfish ambition”.
I was kinda playing detective on how many people had subscribed to get the bonus chapter and God totally shut me down!
You see the book that will soon be released? It’s not about my adding to my writer’s portfolio or any kind of silly goal of increasing my blog reach…its all about spreading the light of the kingdom.
So when you see someone else, a Christian writer in this instance just shining forth the light in them, rejoice!
Why?
Because God is using him/her to expand the kingdom.
In fact, pray for them, call them up and encourage them, rejoice with them and when need be, offer assistance to them like Pastor Nat did to the other worship ministers during his album launch.
The Church isn’t a building, the Church is you and I in wherever we find ourselves.
And the envy, jealousy and unhealthy competition that’s so prevalent in the world isn’t to be found in us.
Instead we are to do things differently.
We are to be one, united in one purpose only, spreading Christ and advancing His kingdom on earth.
And when you see someone who has gained more magnitude than you do in advancing the kingdom, then it should be “all glory be to God!
The name of Jesus is spreading forth into every heart!”
You will notice that I couldn’t really streamline this post to suit just Christian writers/bloggers because it’s basically for everyone who has a place of service in God right now.
See for all Christians, it is not about us.
You are currently in a unit in Church where it seems like someone else  outshines you?
Oh, glory be to God!
They aren’t out shining you, they are shining forth the light of God.
We must not allow the negative thoughts and feelings of the world to overwhelm us.
Pull down thoughts that are not of God!
Jesus prayed that we be united in love.
The competitive spirit in the Christian sphere is not of love.
Remember what John said when people tried to show seeds of jealousy in his heart against Jesus?
John 3.26-30
“So Johnâs disciples came to him and said, âRabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.â John replied, âNo one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, âI am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.â …
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
So should our answer be too.
Jesus must increase and we decrease.
And if Jesus is increasing through Sisi Maggie’s ministry, all glory be to God!
Ministry isn’t a competition for the best writer, pastor, worship leader, prophetess…etc.
Ministry is all about Jesus.
Make a decisive decision to place Jesus first and not yourself.
It is important that we recognize unhealthy attitudes and behavioral patterns and quench them as soon as they arise so we can be free to walk in God’s purpose for our lives with good conscience.
Remember Phillipians 4:8
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
So make a decision to park your mind on what pleases God not on the world’s mind sets.
All the above words pertain to me too and trust me I have had my fair share of experiences with the green eyed demon and I even think that God just wants me to write this post so I can be called to order anytime I miss it in the future (You thought I was writing for you alone? Blehh! Lol)
I will also share tips on how I deal with the green eyed monster (jealousy) while running the race in serving God soon.
But for now, do share with us in the comment section below… How do you cleanse your heart of all unhealthy comparisms even in your walk for God?
I’ll be reading your comments, this topic is one I am mighty interested in.
Have a week filled with displaying the attributes of Christ in you.
Love,
Frances.
P.S- One week to go for the book release!
Yay!
“Chastity For Men” will be sitting prettily in the inbox of subscribers to the blog by this time next week monday.
So subscribe below, get the free chapter and also get on the roll for the book too 🙂
[mc4wp_form]
20 Comments
Cassandra Ikegbune
July 20, 2015 at 9:23 amMy dear, whenever I start to feel some type of way about someone. I just start praying for God to bless them even more and asking for forgiveness. “May she prosper and progress more etc etc”.
it soothes me and I’m assured that everyone has his/her own journey etc.
Great post! I’m going away with more lessons that I’ll use if I start to feel some type of way again.
http://www.cassiedaves.com
Frances Okoro
July 22, 2015 at 4:47 amYes Cassie! Praying for the person works like magic!
I use that as my weapon each and every time and more often than not, the green eyed demon retreats!
Thank you, thank you for sharing that!
And I chide myself and speak to myself too. I just say Frances what is wrong with you, satan shut up, then I start speaking blessings on the person..#fixing my mind on what’s good and lovely!
Mobolaji
July 20, 2015 at 9:57 amGood Monday Morning Frances!
Haha, I can totally relate and this even reminds me of Glow’s ‘Stay on your lane’ post.
If you’re called to be an encourager, why be made at another called to be a teacher? Aren’t we all to use our gifts to the glory of God?
This post also reminds me of Saturday when my boss and I went for a program together. Our NGO was given time to speak about what we do and she asked me to speak. I didn’t plan for it at all and I think I even messed up. But I appreciated how she was willing to sit at the back and watch me do what she could have done, just so she can teach me.
And that’s how Christians must be. We must be willing to hold hands and love each other, it doesn’t matter if one is at the background and the other at the forefront. We’re all doing it for our father. We must remember that.
I love bloggers that can write clean and beautiful posts like “10 ways to…” “5 ways to…” But I also have realized that I’m not the best with that because I’m not the number kinda person, except it’s fun. Lol
So I stay on my lane and pray for my sisters/brothers in their different spheres.
It’s not the easiest thing, but it’s easier to just work with what God has given you, than trying to snatch another’s.
Ahh Frances. I didn’t plan to write Epistle. Pardon me. Muah!
Frances Okoro
July 22, 2015 at 4:55 amHmmm Mobolaji!
“It’s easier when you work with what God has given you rather than try to snatch another’s”
The Word in the talents passage says, he gave them according to their abilities..so we should use what He has given us according to our ability..let the other use what He is given all culminating in one purpose – advancing Christ!
God help us all
Lol @ I didnt mean to write an epistle.
Me loves it baby! 🙂
Thank you!
Esther
July 20, 2015 at 10:50 amKeeping in mind that it’s all about bringing the lost to the Kingdom and fulfilling the ministry of the Father helps us avoid comparison.
Frances Okoro
July 22, 2015 at 4:58 amDef Esther!
The end view and the purpose for it all must never be forgotten.
We must always #remember what it’s all about..not us but God!
Hope your week’s going great so far? 🙂
mateyscott
July 20, 2015 at 11:58 amThank you for this post Frances. Honestly, it’s something I deal with sometimes. I am all for staying in your own lane and for appreciating what you are doing so much that it doesn’t affect you if someone else seems to be doing better than you. But I will be a big liar if I say it doesn’t affect me sometimes when I see someone having more comments (even if I don’t know the number of blog views).
When that happens, I usually discuss it with the Holy Spirit. I tell Him how I feel, I push my jealousy and anger to Him and when I am done pouring out my heart to Him, I ask Him to help me. Help me remember it’s not about me. Help me remember I am not even qualified to be used and its only God’s mercy and grace that I have words to fill a paper. I also remember that it was Holy Spirit that breathed the words I produced in me (most times, I ask for the Holy spirit to write through me) and those were the needed words at the time. Words that might touch someone I will never get to meet.
Lately, I have been talking about our lives not been for us and everything we do not been about us. It’s about God and the people He has sent us to touch in the way He has blessed us to. Besides, the work is much and the labourers are few. So we should be glad that the work is being done, even if another labourer is doing it better. It will take alot of discipline and God’s help to get rid of these ugly feelings whenever they bring their ugly heads.
Sorry for the long comment. I have missed commenting on your blog
Frances Okoro
July 22, 2015 at 5:08 amMayowa!
*hugs*
This struck me- “the laborers are few”
Oh, we should actually be praying for more laborers to be added to the kingdom!
Thank God for His Spirit, cuz like you said it would indeed take God’s help to get back on track and discipline to park our minds on the right path!
I looove how you relate with the Spirit on this, afterall, na God send us msg so when we encounter stuff that we can’t deal with/disturbs us, run to Daddy!
Good to have you back here too. Pls stayyy, don’t disappear.
Tope BANKS
July 20, 2015 at 1:26 pmThe funny thing is I had a conversation with a friend along these line yesterday.
My mantra is the Sky is too large for 10,000 Stars to collide. So as you shine your light,I would shine my light and we all make the skylines beautiful.
I realized I could be very competitive in Secondary school,the Holy Spirit dealt a lot with that aspect of my personality so i learnt not to compete with other people but to compete with myself. So rather than trying to be better than B or C, I am always trying to do better than my previous achievement not because I want to prove a point to anyone but because I know I have an excellent mind thus I expect my mind to produce excellent things.
Personally I can be very up beat and jovial when it comes to other people succeeding in an area that I am falling short in because over time I have come to accept that Gods plan for sister A is not his plan for me. I take rest in the fact that God will sought me out. But there are those times when the comparison bug’ hits me. When that happens I go before God and ask for mercy,then I go out of my way to be a blessing to whoever I’m been envious of. I would even ask such person to teach me the things I may be doing wrongly,nothing spoil. lol
Frances Okoro
July 22, 2015 at 5:15 amTope, your quote on the skyline is sooooo true!
But also, another lesson I am taking from you is to go all out and be a blessing to that person whom the comparison bug is striking us on..like just love up on them, offer help and then learn…
This tactic is the highest! #Love always conquers all i’ll emotions.
And fixing our eyes on ourslvs, cultivating the excellent Spirit in us is a better investment that envy. Truly.
Thank you!
graciemama
July 22, 2015 at 1:16 amEven though I’m not a Christian blogger, I get that feeling sometime. When I see a fellow blogger who started way after me or together and has gathered a million views and has lots of comments on the blog, I used to feel down sincerely.
I keep asking myself what the issue could be. I’ve told myself to keep doing what I do so long as I am passionate about it. I will only be happy for the fellow blogger with seemingly more blog success.
Frances Okoro
July 22, 2015 at 3:57 amRight Gracie…we have all mostly been there!
I am sooo glad everyone can relate.
Like you said, keep doing what you are doing, even reach out to the blogger, say hi, encourage their “ministry” and stay on your lane..
Stay faithful(this is another post), for later sha…
Amakamedia
July 29, 2015 at 5:41 amGod bless you for this. I keep hearing the same thing too. We all get to that point sometimes when we feel jealous of the success of another.
You know when God takes pleasure in your writing. He finds a way to correct you when you tend to go wrong. For God to have given you these words, He sure has you on his list of writers.
Love you, Frances.
I gave this word too –
The 10 Commandments for Christian Writers
You can read it.
Frances Okoro
July 30, 2015 at 10:40 pmHey Amaka!
I actually read your post on 10commandments to bloggers and loved it!
Couldn’t comment on the disquss thing, bad network and the box didn’t show up.
Will check back again.
Indeed, I am grateful for the chastises God gives us. Grateful!
Uju
August 3, 2015 at 8:44 amCompetition, I learnt a few about it in various ways,
1.) The sky is large enough for everyone to soar.
2.) Do not envy the next person’s success because your success is definitely a different one.
3.) Competition does not bring about progress it only slows one down when yo are trying so hard to look into everything the person is doing, automatically you tend to slow yourself down.
Blogging is a passion and personally although as humans we tend to get jealous over a few but I think if you think deep you should know your passion does not have a competition just like no one has your style.
http://lifestreasury.blogspot.com/
Frances Okoro
August 3, 2015 at 4:05 pmUju! Thank you and welcome!
First words struck me “the sky is big enough for all of us to soar”, so rest and shine..and support your fellow start while they shine too…#the best deal ever!
Have a great week ahead!
Adedotun Adejoorin
December 23, 2015 at 1:13 amGod bless you Frances dear. we always have to keep reminding ourselves of this important truths. We are to expand His kingdom, together. It’s never a competition and even when our minds begin to stray( because it does) we have to call it back to order.
Frances Okoro
December 24, 2015 at 2:53 pmExactly Adejoorin! There’s no competition in the kingdom, it’s not of God..God help us to always remember and adhere to this…
and it’s soooo good to meet you here… 🙂
Please stay ohh, let’s see more of you 🙂
Adedotun
March 11, 2016 at 12:51 amAwww. How come I didn’t see this earlier. I’m a fan o. A very shy one sha.
Frances Okoro
March 11, 2016 at 10:25 pmAh ah, this shyness… we cast and bind!!!! loool.
Biko be coming out wella Adedotun :-_