I have achieved more with belief than doubt.
This is my truth.
Find yours.
– Osasu Oviawe
Day: March 17, 2019
Cue 9 – The Hidden Danger of Comparing Yourself to Others
Martha Graham on The Hidden Danger of Comparing Yourself to Others
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions.It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.” – Martha Graham
Trial and error
Contrarian thinking and heterodoxy have become more popular. Sold by pessimists, optimists and realists as the magic elixir for success in any field.
The popular understanding is that to be successful, study what the crowd is doing and do the opposite. If you have this popular understanding, you are not that contrarian. You like the idea of being contrarian, but the crowd still determines your direction.
The subtle insight in the advice on contrarian thinking and heterodoxy is simple, but hard – Pay attention to yourself. What works for you? What doesn’t work for you?
You might not yet know why or how what works actually works. Stay with it, independent of what everybody thinks. If the crowd cheers you on, great, not that it matters. If the crowd boos at you, great, it doesn’t matter.
Contrarian thinking and heterodoxy are code words for courage. Courage to follow your unique truth. That truth is not dependent on where the crowd is going or not going. It is dependent on what works for you.
How do you find what works for you? Plain old trial and error.
This is why the advice that always follows contrarian thinking and heterodoxy is to embrace mistakes and failure (features of trial and error), on your path to whatever success means to you.
– Osasu Oviawe
Believe
Genesis 15:5-6
And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
And he believed the LORD; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Homily:
Faith in the Lord is reckoned as righteousness.
Do you believe His promises to you? Do you even know His promises? When last did you sit down, kneel down or just walk with God and listen?
How do you believe, if you have never heard Him speak to you?
Many people have advised us on many ways that God speaks. How does He speak to you? Is it during prayer? Is it through your neighbor? Is it during your moments of complete stillness? Is it during storms? How? I cannot answer that for you. You must seek Him and you will find the unique way He has chosen to reveal His plans for you to you. Then, believe.
Your way of hearing from Him might not be understood by everyone. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you hear His promise. You have believed everything but His word, and it has taken you to familiar emptiness. Listen to His word and believe, and you will reach unfamiliar fullness.
Dear Lord, I want to hear from you, help me to listen.
Dear Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.
Amen.