Yes you can achieve success and find satisfaction and fulfillment in life. Being a champion takes guts and grace. God can generously give you both. This article is an excerpt from Shannon’s book Grace & Guts – Strategies for Living a Knock-Out Life. In it (below) she offers 5 ways that you can experience God’s abundant grace, have guts to get through the challenges in life and ultimately be the champion that God designed you to be.
The excerpt below is Copyright 2019 Shannon Perry. Used with permission.
LISTEN NOW – Shannon Perry, author of Grace & Guts – Strategies for Living a Knock-Out Life talks with Brad Bloom in this 40 minute conversation about her free resource to support teens and families dealing with bullying, her perspectives on fitness and how it strengthens faith and how her book can help you. (This audio begins with a six second delay.)
1. LISTEN TO YOUR DISSATISFACTION
God takes delight in using us in areas we enjoy. It won’t be “easy,” but there will be a peace when we’re serving in the place God has called us to serve.
When we’re unhappy or lose our peace for an extended period of time in our area of service, it may be that God is leading us into another lane. Don’t let that scare you; embrace it. Change is good! I have learned that when I am unhappy or lose my peace for an extended period of time in some area of service, it’s because God’s anointing is no longer on me to do that thing. It doesn’t mean He’s done with me. It means He’s moving, and I need to move with Him.
When we try to “hold on” in an area where God is saying, “let go,” we’re trying to walk in an anointing that is no longer ours. Stay under the anointing that God has for your life and when He says, “move,” do it.
2. LISTEN TO OTHER GODLY PEOPLE TO HELP IDENTIFY YOUR GIFTS
If others continually tell you that you would be a great teacher, artist or administrator, listen to them. God often uses people to confirm what is already in our heart. Others may be aware we have a gift before we realize we have that gift. When you’re continually complimented in some area, pay attention. That is a strength God has given you to serve others. If others say your cookies are great, get busy baking! How can that be a ministry? There are many shut-ins and homeless people who need the touch of Jesus, and cookies can be a great ministry to those in need.
3. WRITE YOUR VISION DOWN
Proverbs 29 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Sitting with folded arms and “waiting on God” to send one thousand signs before we move in our purpose is not what God has in mind.
While our vision may not turn out exactly like it looks on paper, it’s a great place to start. Offer your vision to God and instead of asking Him to bless your plans, tell Him to alter that vision in any way He sees fit to help you fulfill the purpose for which you were designed.
4. MAKE A LIST OF YOUR STRENGTHS
Are you strong in the arts? Writing? Administration? If you can’t identify your strengths, ask others to help you, and write down their responses. God has gifted us with strengths to fulfill our purpose. If your strength is hospitality, you would not enjoy serving behind a desk where you don’t interact with others. You are the “party” person in the Kingdom of God so interacting with people is your strength.
Some of you know your platform well. You have multiple gifts and finding your lane is not the problem. Knowing which lane to drive in is your concern. You teach Sunday school, cook for the sick, serve in Sunday night youth meetings and sing in the choir. You’re exhausted, but “bless God,” you are using your gifts.
If you’re “exhausted” from serving in all of your gifts, perhaps you should get alone with God and ask Him to help balance your life. We cannot be “all things” to “all people.” That’s why it’s so important that we all use our gifts. Too many times the same people are asked to do everything while others sit on the sidelines and benefit from the work of the exhausted. If you’re feeling burned out, ask the Lord to provide others who may be waiting “in the wings” to do the job you are weary of doing, then step aside, and make room for them to serve.
5. BE DISCIPLINED
We often pursue our purpose with passion only to find, over time, that our purpose loses its thrill. Just as anything else in life that’s worth having, fulfilling our purpose is hard work. I jokingly tell people that for years, I quit ministry every Monday. Why? Because ministry is hard! We all have a ministry and as we pursue that ministry, it’s hard physically, emotionally and spiritually. Let me be perfectly clear. Satan HATES your ministry. That’s right. There is absolutely NOTHING about your ministry that he likes and he will do whatever he must do to deter you from fulfilling your purpose in that ministry calling.
The good news? We can be disciplined enough to defeat him in the ring. The book of Ephesians says PUT ON the armor of God. This is not an option if you want to succeed in your calling and ministry. The first place Satan often attacks once we allow God to work His purpose in our lives is between our ears. “You didn’t really hear from God. Who do you think you are? They’re going to laugh at you. You’d better quit while you’re ahead.” Those are all lies. I have heard them too. Satan’s a liar, and he whispers the same lies over and over. Our job is to be so well-fitted in our armor that we know his tactics and how to defeat them. Be disciplined in the work you are called to do, and be disciplined enough to get suited for the fight on a daily basis. If you want to walk in your purpose, there is no plan B.
