Stay In Your Lane

Have you ever felt like you're falling behind? Maybe it seems that those around you are progressing through life at a faster rate? Well friend, I've been there. Heck, I am there. But, here's what I am learning from this position.

I breathe deep, waiting in anticipation. I feel the coarse track gently pressing against my fingertips as I rock back and forth to stretch out any last tension in my legs. My feet shuffle slightly, adjusting their position on the ground. It all comes back to how you start. Whilst my focus narrows, the sounds pulsating through the air become muffled and everything in my peripherals blur. I stare down the long track before me. "I just have to make it to the end, first," I whisper to myself. The marshal raises his starting pistol and the heavens stare down the barrel.

"Ready?" He shouts.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I think to myself.

"On your marks!"

"Oh, gosh. I hope I prepared well."

The time that elapses between his signals moves slowly, my breathing quickens and my heart begins to pound harder.

"GO!"

Before I know it, my feet have carried me halfway down the track. A roar emanates from the grandstands. Great, more pressure. A few competitors speed past me. "Oh, no. I need to speed up." I peer over into the lane beside me, another runner is on my tail. Doubt fills my mind, and with each new thought my speed grows slower and slower.

"I'm not moving fast enough." "I'm losing.""I'm such as failure"

..."I'm...falling...behind."

***

I'm falling behind.

I'm falling behind. Those words have plagued me for years. It's a feeling that I have never quite gotten over. Whether it be in my friendships, relationship status, ministry or education, I always feel like I am struggling to keep up.

In so many situations, I have been well-prepared to run the race. I have put in the effort and the hard work. I begin the race with determination. I see the end. The goal becomes so close that I can almost touch it. When suddenly, one by one, those around me fly past. I just can't seem to reach it as fast as the others in the race.

Not to mention, the pressure I often feel from all around me. It presses me to perform, achieve and acquire. But, sometimes I just can't meet the expectations of others. It's one thing to feel like you're failing. It's another to have people watch you 'fail'.

And of course, when this happens, I doubt. I begin to question whether I will ever reach the goal. I doubt my worth, my preparation, my ability, my image and my God. When these thoughts flood in, I become more and more distracted. I slow down. I let unbelief fester. My determination weakens. I stop trying. I allow myself to obtain a place of defeat, at the bottom of the podium.

But friend, that is what the enemy wants and he will try his hardest to get you to believe these thoughts. When he plants these thoughts in our minds, we become distracted. We focus harder on these lies than the race before us. We lose sight of the purpose, the goal and most importantly, our God.

The enemy wants us to slow us down. Why? To impress a sense of defeat upon God's children so that they doubt their capabilities and their ability to live for God.

The enemy wants to distract us. Why?

To inhibit us from pressing on to fulfil God's mighty plan.

What's more, is that as we become distracted and defeated, we forget God's provision over our lives. We lose faith and trust in Him, and His perfect timing. This opens a door to sin and unbelief, and only slows us down more - sometimes, we even stop running.

Friend, if you have ever felt this, I am so sorry. It is so difficult when you feel you don't measure up to those around you. It is a valid feeling. Whether you're the only single person in your friendship group, you just can't seem to get that ministry, goal or dream off the ground, you can't find your 'fit' of friends or your relationship with God feels like it's lacking, I get it. I've been there. They are really tricky feelings to navigate.

But, it is time to stop comparing ourselves. And it's time to stop allowing the pressures surrounding us to have so much influence on our progression. It's between us and God, and that's it!

Eyes On Your Own Lane!

A while ago, I felt God say to me "Ange, keep your eyes straight ahead. Stop looking into the lanes next to you, it is slowing you down." I was so frequently comparing my status to my friends, and by doing that, I was giving the enemy the tools to build a stronghold. I began believing lies about myself and started to doubt God and His purpose for me. I opened a door to sin, and welcomed feelings of inadequacy.

Proverbs 4:25

Look straight ahead,

and fix your eyes on what lies before you.

To put it simply, we look into another lane, we doubt, we slow down and then, we feel inadequate.

In other words, we compare ourselves, the enemy plants a lie or doubt, we focus on that thought instead of looking towards God and thus, we FEEL as though we are falling behind.

But, heres the misconception. You're not actually falling behind. Sure, you may have slowed down. Sure, you may not be running at the same pace as those around you. But you're not meant to - yet!

Perfect Progression

A few days ago, God highlighted to me a game of chess. I saw pieces on a game board, and at various times God would position those pieces in a specific place so that they would progress forward. When you play a game of chess, you never move two pieces at once. Nor, do those pieces always line up perfectly and progress at the same rate.

What relevance does this have?

Well, my friend, just like in a game of chess God has strategically positioned you in the right place for His Kingdom to prosper. He is progressing you forward in a perfect sequence so that you will not experience defeat or death. He has a plan for you, so that you will be able to conquer and hold victory over the enemy. And, those people around you, who SEEM to be progressing faster than you, hold the same purpose - to defeat the opposition. Sure, the knight progresses faster than the pawn, but that does not diminish your capability to win the game. The sequence and rate at which they move is just a little different to yours.

So, let's stop comparing ourselves and trust that God has us in the right place at the right time. His strategy is perfect, and if we surrender to Him we will hold the victory.

Hebrews 12:1-3

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.