“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.”
Ecc. 4:9
I struggle with discipline. I am not a morning person, a fitness enthusiast, or a nutrition guru. I don’t connect with God at the same time and place every day, I don’t cook dinner as often as I should, and I find it difficult to stick to any kind of routine long term.
It’s easy to become discouraged when you find yourself constantly failing at things that other people seem to do with ease. When my kids were little, we went through a season where we were late to church more times than not, and the church was less than five minutes from our house! I remember feeling like I had to explain myself to the friends who lived farther away but were always on time. Sometimes I even avoided making eye contact with them as we were coming in late once more.
Experiences like that one made me feel defeated and judged (whether I was being judged or not). It took me a long time to accept that God wired people differently, and because of that, we all have different strengths and weaknesses.
Let’s face it, nobody can do all things well. I can’t and neither can you. But it is possible to improve in our areas of weakness with each other’s help. Imagine what could happen if, when we meet someone who is good at something we struggle with, instead of thinking: Good for her (insert sarcastic tone), or She’s crazy, or I could never do that, we shifted our mindset to: I can learn from her. She can help me!
Identifying some of my own strengths has given me the confidence to embrace and celebrate people with strengths that are different than mine. Organization is one of my strengths. I get giddy when I think about reorganizing a closet or any other room for that matter. I love shelves, baskets, containers, binders, labels, and anything that has to do with organization.
When a friend wanted to organize her closet, I was excited to offer some suggestions and to see the changes later. A task that might have been daunting for her was easy for me. That same friend is very knowledgeable in health and wellness, so guess who I called when I wanted to make some changes in my family’s diet? I opened my fridge and pantry and gave her full permission to tell me what I could keep and what I should substitute for healthier alternatives. A task that seemed overwhelming to me, was easy for her. Win-win.
That’s not the only time I’ve reached out to a friend to help me out in an area that they are noticeably good at. For a season, I had one of my early-rising friends call me every morning to hold me accountable in my desire to improve my morning routine. A few months ago, a friend with a keen eye for design helped me redo my family-room and I love it! And I also follow several friends on social media who focus on health and fitness related things, and although I might not do everything they are doing, I do some of the things they share. Instead of feeling threatened by them, they inspire me to take better care of myself and my family.
I am thankful to be surrounded by friends who have different strengths than mine. I might not ever be as good as they are in what they do best. Some things simply come easier to some people than others, but I have made progress in many areas of struggle thanks to them.
I pray that instead of feeling threatened by each other’s strengths, or defeated by our weaknesses, we learn to glean from each other to enhance our lives. No shame, no guilt, no judgment. Just friends helping each other out doing what each one does best.
Your turn!
- Do you find it easy to ask for help in an area of struggle?
- Or do you default to feelings of judgment and defeat?
- Make a list of your strengths.
- Make a list of your weaknesses.
- Who are some friends you can reach out to that can help you in those areas?
Photo by olia danilevich – Pexels
