Against the Wind

Growing Daily

When I was in college, my dad and brother got really into windsurfing. They got the gear, read the magazines, and tracked wind reports like day traders watching the market. My dad even kept the number of a convenience store near the lake so he could call the clerk and ask if whitecaps were forming.

I wanted to be part of this family adventure — it all seemed so exciting! I went out on the lake with them many times… but it didn’t take long to realize that windsurfing just wasn’t my thing.

They had the initiative. They did the research and led the way. Tagging along was easy. But I was chasing their enthusiasm rather than the interests God had placed in my own heart.

Sometimes we do the same thing in our spiritual lives. We see what excites others—their calling, their passion, their ministry—and we try to copy them or jump on their bandwagon. But God hasn’t called us to mimic someone else’s path. He’s called us to walk faithfully in the way He’s made us.

Romans 12:6 is a reminder that “we have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” God created us to do the good things He planned long ago (Ephesians 2:10).

Are you chasing someone else’s calling today? Ask God to help you see the unique path He has prepared for you.

- Ron Reid