https://growingupinthelord.com Surfing The Waves Thu, 01 Oct 2026 03:18:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://growingupinthelord.com/an-awkward-fit/ https://growingupinthelord.com/an-awkward-fit/#respond Wed, 31 Dec 2025 19:14:45 +0000 https://growingupinthelord.com/?p=4990 What if that awkwardness exists because we are striving to fit into a place that was never shaped for us? Our discomfort is not always a sign of rebellion or reluctance. It may be a sign of misalignment. The apostle Paul describes the church as a collection of parts, a living body shaped by intentional diversity. The placement of each part matters for purpose and function. “For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also is Christ…. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, according to His will.” 1 Corinthians 12:12, 17–18 God Himself arranged the body this way. Each part matters, but each part also has limits. These limits are not weaknesses. Just as an ear cannot see or a foot cannot hear, we each have a purpose that fits our God-given abilities. Effort alone does not change design. Good intentions can blur an important distinction. Willingness does not mean every role belongs to us. My grandfather once said that God’s church is perfect, even though its people are not. The more I learn and grow, the more I see the wisdom in that statement. We bring our fears, insecurities, blind spots, and unmet longings with us into every relationship and situation, even into the body of Christ. We desire to matter, to be seen, and to fit. None of this surprises God, but it does shape how we relate to one another. The problem isn’t always the body. It may be where we’re trying to fit. Saying no can feel unfaithful, especially when we are asked to fill a specific need. Yet Scripture teaches us to serve with wisdom. Faithfulness does not mean personally responding to every need in the congregation. Even during His earthly ministry, Jesus did not respond to every demand. He withdrew to pray and sometimes left crowds behind, following the Father’s direction rather than every expectation around Him. If Jesus did not allow every demand to determine His direction, we cannot expect to do so either. Saying no is not necessarily a refusal to serve. It can be a decision to serve where we are actually equipped. Healthy bodies do not require every part to be loud or visible. They require honesty, discernment, and faithfulness. The goal is not for each member to prove their value, but to live faithfully within the Designer’s purpose. Maybe the goal isn’t to make ourselves fit wherever there is an empty space. Maybe it is to discover where God has equipped us to serve. The most faithful thing we can do may be to stop trying to be a part we were never meant to be. ]]> https://growingupinthelord.com/an-awkward-fit/feed/ 0