I am 23 years old. I am a college graduate, I am a writer, and I am the editor-in-chief of this lovely platform but my favorite thing about myself, and I mean this in the humblest way, is that I know my purpose and why I was born at this particular time in history. I am aware of why God has me on this planet. Now, that definitely doesn’t mean I know exactly where my path is taking me or even what tomorrow holds, but I think that’s one thing I try never to take for granted. I know what I am and more importantly, I know who I am. It took many years, but I know who Danielle Joanne Clayton was created to be and by God’s grace, I have found such peace, joy, and comfort in that and in myself.
But please hear me when I say this did not happen overnight, and I certainly did not arrive at this place on my own. I didn’t wake up one day and love myself or know that I would be a writer. It is somewhat of a miraculous work given who I used to be and ultimately, it is the fulfillment of God’s will in my life.
I say that previous statement with great emphasis because I have friends and people who may not even know me personally but have seen me and are impressed, or at the very least intrigued by me. Some respect me – I hope for how I carry myself and are congratulatory of what I have accomplished thus far. For all of that, first and foremost, I can take no credit because any perceived success I have, any assurance or confidence that I walk with, and comfort in who I am and what my purpose is all come from God. These are all things that through faith I have accomplished and what I’m praying is that people do not see me at all, but rather the light of God that abides within me because that is the source of everything within me.
The greater point I am trying to make is that the people who are around us and who see us thriving, or seemingly undeterred by life are indicators, exemplars, of what God can do in any one of our lives when we accept Him. We all have access to the same God, who, for all of us is “able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we can ask or think according to the powers that work in us” (Ephesians 3:20) and in addition to boundless power and sovereignty working in our favor, what is extended to all of us by God is “not a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). With the knowledge that there is nothing God cannot do and nothing He will not do for us, so long as we believe and have faith in His the knowledge of these three, possibilities are endless in the ways God can use us.
All of us have gifts, abilities, and characteristics that differentiate us from each other, making us the distinct individuals that we are. However, that nuance is not because of us but because of Our creator, because of God. We sometimes give ourselves too much credit for what we accomplish and who we impact. Nothing in this life is random – not the people we meet, not the opportunities that we are given, and especially not the challenging and triumphant moments we experience. So when we celebrate an individual more than we do God, who put everything in place for them to succeed and accomplish a certain work, we have gone too far. We should never be too proud of ourselves or others that we do not recognize the source of their feat.
There’s nothing particularly special about me that persists or exists solely because of me. I did not create myself. I am fearfully and wonderfully made because I am God’s creation, and with the gift of free will, which He has bestowed upon me, I chose to follow Him and embrace what He created in me. Anything I have ever received is a result of favor from God and it is in His will; but the point I’m trying to make and get to is that the same God that created me with a purpose, has blessed me with a myriad of gifts, blessings, and opportunities, created you as well. There is a will and a purpose for your life and an abundant opportunity for you, too, to know why you were created and what the plans God has for you, which are not to harm you, but to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11). I am not lucky. I have not accessed anything that is not also accessible to anyone else. None of what I have experienced was luck or happenstance. It was God.
We sometimes look at others and wonder why we’re not prospering, which is very different from comparison because it’s not so much comparing ourselves to others as it is reflecting upon our journey and assessing how we can grow.
We may look at others and wonder, how have they done that, and maybe we look at ourselves and feel we’ve plateaued in some way and we’ve not made progress, spiritual or otherwise. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul urges us to examine ourselves and even asks us do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? The same God that I do my best to be in tune with so that I can hear Him, that has blessed me and that has created me with a purpose that I am certain of, has done the same thing for every single person on Earth. Each of us has a purpose and blessings that God is waiting to bestow, but it requires faith, belief in His plans for you, and commitment.
One of my favorite hymns asks it like this: Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blessed and have peace and sweet rest as you yield Him your body and your soul. God loves all His children whether they serve Him or not, but if we are to be His people and His workmanship, we must first realize who He is and what He is capable of doing through us when we relinquish our flesh to Him in exchange for His Spirit, power, favor, and knowledge of our purpose, who we are as defined by our Creator and our Creator alone. As you seek to draw near with faith to God, as you learn more about God and yourself, I pray that others look to you not for what you have done but because of His light that shines through you and the works He enables in you.
