What do you want out of your life?
So many people ask this question so often it seems to warrant some kind of response. How do you answer it?
It could be asked of anyone.
This post looks at the decision of fitting in with a crowd or following your purpose in life.
In the case of the author it basically comes down to being geeky. Yes, geeky. This means retaining information that is not always useful and struggling with communication.
Basically, as someone who is geeky, there are a couple of options.
You (1) could try and fit it and be disappointed OR you (2) can try and utilize what God gave you and made you to be.
At a younger age trying to fit in with other people was frustrating and unproductive. Living a life that is not authentic is not healthy for the person OR for the people around them.
What happens when you try to live like this and pretend to be what you are not? Pleasing others takes away from other things you could be doing. You could be focusing your effort in the wrong place or "hanging around the wrong crowd" to fit in.
In my case putting the effort to fit in with others takes away from other productive work I could be doing. Acts Of The Apostles 5:29 states, "We must obey God rather than man." God gave you certain talents for you to use, not to lie dormant. (Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:12-28). In other words God gave me geeky attributes to use to help others.
Pretending to be what you are not can also lead to a cycle of sin and problems for you in the long term, as described in this post.
Perhaps one thing aging teaches us is how fitting in is less important in the scheme of things.
The time you spent hurting yourself (in this example) could have been spent improving yourself.
Matthew 5:48 reads,
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Although this actually is translated closer to "be all you can be" the point is that God intended more for you than just "following a crowd." When God breathed spirit into Adam's nostrils it could be inferred he wanted more for you than just "getting by" and doing the least you have to. You have a unique role in the scheme of the universe, according to Christianity.
Living The Authentic LifeIt is much easier and more pleasant to try and be what God made you to be. Now there is not a feeling of even wanting to fit in with others. Rather, there is a sense of using natural gifts from God in a way that makes life much more enjoyable and productive.
1. Less faking it
2. More fulfillment
3. Less emphasis on what others think (related to the first two above)
4. Better results
5. Something productive could rub off on people around you
It only makes sense that you would thrive more when you live out how you were created. These posts are enjoyable to write, for example, although the traffic is lower than what was intended.
In the Old Testament God told the Prophet Jeremiah,
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you - Jeremiah 1:5
The unauthentic life could also lead to sin, like discussed in a previous post (Please refer to "Other Posts" at the bottom of the page).
This kind of thinking might logically leave a question for you.
The unanswered question is how you know what God wants you to do.
Your passion might not be the thing you are most talented at, but it is worth seeking for your spiritual wellness. A spiritual journey consists of prayer, reflection, Scripture reading and paying attention to signals. (If you had my lack of social skills it would be apparent to you, also).
The truth is you might not know. God only expects you to do the most you can with what you have. For some of us being it is being geeky. Using geeky attributes has brought more fulfillment than fitting in with others.
He knows your limitations since he created you. If you look deep down and are honest, though, you might be able to come up with this on your own.
What do YOU want out of life?
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