by Martha June

Hello friends.

I have been hesitant to blog for going on eight months now. Don’t worry, I am not going to make it nine.

Sitting down to write has been a  process. I have had many things on my heart but lacked the confidence to share. Each time I typed words on the page, lies began to surface and take the forefront of my mind, stopping me in my tracks. I believed I wasn’t good enough and quit for a while, but in the end, I do not blog because I feel I am talented or share my thoughts because I want to be recognized or praised.

I am not here to preach. I am not here to say look at me, I am not here to celebrate what a good person I am. I am here because maybe some of you need someone to say “hey I get it” or “life can be hard, but we still have hope in Jesus.” People with a collective hope in Jesus can be such a powerful thing Y’all.

So, I am going to give this blogging thing a second chance and trust Jesus with the rest.

Here goes.

Something I have been thinking about a lot is identity. I will be the first to admit that I struggle with this word. Even admitting I’ve battled  with those four syllables makes me physically cringe. My identity has been “blown and tossed by the wind” – not a good place to be.

I think everyone wants to feel they are special. Everyone has the desire to be unique, to stick out, to be identified for something specific. Whether that is for good grades, for who you are as a person, for your style, or for how good you are at your job. Most people can name at least one thing they want to be identified for.

In our struggle for wanting to be known in this way, it can be so easy to find ourselves playing the comparison game. I have done this with everything. It always starts with thoughts that are focused on how that person is “better than me” or “more talented” I think we have all been there. It is a cycle that always ends with me feeling less than adequate. In fact, I have a name for the feeling I am left with, average.

Have you ever just felt average, friends?

I could elaborate on how I have come to feel this way, but I believe that it mirrors the path you walked if you think of yourself as merely average.

While driving in the car the other day the Lord opened my eyes to the gift of being average.

“okay, Martha, I thought you were going to say I’m not average, and my worth is in Christ, and hype me up. Not tell me I am average after all.”

Actually no, friends. All of those things are true! In the eyes of Christ, you are uniquely made in his image, a masterpiece, and you have talents no one else has. Jesus died on the cross for YOU and rose from the dead. He calls everyone to himself, for those who chose him he calls us children. This is our identity. What a joy.

However, through the lens of the world, you may feel like you’re “just average.” And if we are all transparent with our feelings, I think we can agree that if we chose to play the comparison game, there will always be someone “better, prettier, fitter, smarter, wiser, richer, more put together, etc.” and there will always be people we equate with being the opposite of those “er” words above.

But can I tell you something?

Jesus is looking for the average.

Jesus is calling those who feel inadequate,

who feel unskilled,

those with the low GPA,

those who are struggling,

Those who wonder if people can even pick them out of a crowd.

He calls the college kid,

the mom trying to make it,

and the family who feels like they are falling apart.

Jesus calls everyone.

He is calling YOU friend. Because guess what the average get to boast about?

God.

To those who feel average,

“So consider your calling, brothers; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”   1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Maybe pride is the root of my struggle. I have the desire to be known, to be “somebody” whoever that is. Maybe you struggle with that, too, and to that I say, praise the Lord that He is in the business of forgiveness and redemption. And that in spite of our pride, in spite of whatever and whoever we think defines us, no matter how many times we mess up, no matter how average we think we are…

but God… 

oh, friends, but God. 

He wants us. He wants us as his children, as his followers, as his ambassadors, not so that we can boast in our talents and gifts as if they are our own. But instead to boast about who God is and what he has done in our lives.

“But he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

So I will boast of being average because where my weakness shows, God’s power in my life will only shine brighter. I will pray the same for you, sweet friends; that as Christ followers we can be content in our weakness, finding our identity not in being “average” but in God our creator, allowing our weak selves to be used as God’s vessel for this hurting world.

sincerely,

Martha June