The only thing you 'should' be doing

You can honor God by investing in the gifts, talents, and passions He has given you.

Does anyone else get exhausted and overstimulated by all the noise we're sounded by? You don't need to be sensitive to loud noises to know our society is noisy.

Sometimes it feels like every time I turn on a screen, I'm getting yelled at. The digital era we're living in has allowed everyone to force their lives, successes, latest 'life-changing' purchase, and routines down our throats suggesting that if we don't look like them, we're missing out and behind.

If it's not babes trying to convince you (themselves) that they live the perfect life, it's news no one needs to know about a celebrity, what a politician just ate, what just happened 11,000 miles away, or a funny 3 second video that leads to another, and then another, and then another, and then another...

Does anyone else get tired of constantly being directly or indirectly told what they "should" be doing? I do.

About a year ago, I left all the major social media platforms-- and while it's felt significantly less, society is still noisy. Removing as much noise as I did from my mind made energy and space to invest in the things I am interested in, as well as allow me to be able to just be and think again.

Even removing most of the internet from my day-to-day, I've noticed how much of the influence society and people still try to have over their peers and friends-- between advertisements for the latest body and trends, and then people always trying to tell others what they should do/be doing.

This has always deeply bothered me, and maybe I'm walking the fine line of being a cynic, but it's not new news that human beings are selfish (yes I am a human too, and no I am not softening our sinful egotism). We're always thinking about ourselves. How do I feel? What do I want? How do I compare to the girl next to me? What do I look like in the picture? I deserve this, or I've earned that. When was the last time you did something solely for someone else?

When was the last time you helped, or experienced someone help another with the pure intentions of benefiting only the other person-- not to show what good a friend you are or to get something in return? Psychology has shown us that even volunteering releases a chemical that makes the volunteer feel better...

It's rare.

And to me, people who try to tell you what you "should" be doing, are first of all not always real friends, and second of all probably don't know you as much as they think they do, nor are they probably purely thinking of your best interest. It's disheartening.

Have you ever noticed how most, if not all, people who really try to push you to do something, are usually trying to get you to look like them (not necessarily physically look like them in appearance, but in action, life, etc.)?

People are rarely going to push you to do something that makes you look "better" or "more successful" (to the world's standards), than them, but if they are already there, then "yes, have the same level of education as me, be in the same season as me, do the same hobbies as me, have a body that is no stronger or weaker than mine."

Why?

Because if people aren't trying to boost their ego that "they were someone's second savior and saved their life," they're anxiously and desperately trying to make their peers look like them to validate that their own life- the one they want you to think is perfect- is indeed what they should be doing right now.

Everyone wants to be unique until they realize how uncomfortable and isolating it can feel sometimes.

I read a very interesting Bible verse in Ecclesiastes 6:10-12a, "Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow?"

In my adult years, I've grown to understand and believe that no one, absolutely no one, will ever know you as well as your creator. Psalm 139:13-16 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Just like the engineer of a car will always know better than anyone the car's strengths, weaknesses, when it's time to replace something, what kind of fuel it needs, how each part works together, what it needs when it's not operating to it's full potential, what environments it does better in, how to best take care of it...

The God who created you, and determined your life before one day was lived, is the only One who knows what is best for you and when the time is best to be given anything that fuels your life. You would never fuel a car with more gasoline if it is already full.

Differently from man, God you can trust God to always be good and have your best interest in mind.

No matter your age, we're always wondering what or what else we should be doing. In my own life, I've grown to be more than confident that I was made for Jesus (we all are- some just don't understand it yet). My purpose is to glorify God's name in everything I do-- my work, chores, relationships, interactions with strangers, how I speak of others, resting-- and there's one more piece to this that didn't click until recently.

How do I glorify God with my life right now?

My mother said this once, but it didn't settle in until recently; live the life God has blessed you with right now. While you may be waiting for some things to hopefully happen in your life, you are not waiting for life to begin. You've been living your life... for however many years you've been blessed to be on this earth.

You don't need to enter a new season to better live for and glorify God. He has given you everything you need to glorify Him, just as much as others, right now. Whatever job He has you in, "work at it with all your heart, because you are working for Him, not for man" (Colossians 3:23-24). By giving a full effort to the job God gave you, you are honoring Him, and when you treat your co-workers the way Jesus would, you are honoring Him.

Fuel your body with good things, and take care of it to honor God for giving you the body He gave you. This one's new. Have you been blessed with passions, interests, and hobbies? These came from the Lord too you know, and you can honor Him by investing in the interests He gave you which is ultimately what makes you dynamic and you!

What about time and resources? How can you glorify God with what He has given you in those ways too? This is the way to living an abundant life for God. It is not to try and impress others or make your life look like what others and society say it is supposed to, it is to glorify God exactly where He has you-- He has not missed anything, made a mistake, or loves you less. And the sooner you realize that, the more full your life will be.

The next time you're prompted with the question or thought about what you should be doing whether from someone on social media or in-person, look to God and what He's given you. He holds your life, and despite what anyone who appears to be content says, glorifying God is the only thing you should be doing.

Thank you for reading :)