I’m Not the Main Character

I’m steadily learning that I’m not the main character in my story.

That’s weird for me to say, considering most of the time I feel like Disney’s all-time best character, Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove.

Yes, that is my theme music coming into the office in the mornings.

I don’t have a superpower, but in the course of the last year I’ve come to the realization that I am getting pretty good at this prayer thing. I’ve been speaking to God and hearing from him regularly. If I have something I’m worried about, I speak positively into it and it generally turns out right. I’ve prayed over pains and have them immediately disappear. I’ve been on fire! My spiritual powers have been growing!

How long do you think this all lasted when I started thinking these powers were mine?

Of course, when things dried up (spoiler alert, that’s the cycle of life), do you think I immediately saw the errors of my thinking? Nope – I just said, “Oh, I’ve got this! I’ll just pray and praise my way out of this on my own!”

Even when we’re doing the right things like praying, spending time in God’s Word, letting the Holy Spirit guide us and work through us, and just living as examples of Jesus, it’s interesting how easy it is to start thinking that the power we live in is ours to use to advance our own narratives. We start thinking we can fix every problem, pray away every sickness and evil, handle every emotionally triggering event, come into every success and just plain get by on our own. Sure, we got Jesus. But he’s just along for the ride. Or maybe you’re even letting him navigate, but you’re still in control of the wheel. And what’s so great about God is that he doesn’t let his children get big headed. He humbles you for your own good. And I was certainly humbled. After all, it’s not my story, it’s God’s. I’m providing support to his story line, not the other way around.

But it was also a huge burden off my back realizing that, no matter the situation, it’s not up to me to make it successful or fix it. Because as fun as it was believing I was responsible for the awesome things I was experiencing through great prayer, it also put a lot of “performance” pressure on me, to the point where I was no longer enjoying my prayer life. It had become something I had to do, not something I wanted to do to deepen my relationship with God and access his spiritual blessings and power for his purpose.

In good or bad times, we can forget that God is in control and that he “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20). This means that when things are good, we need to give credit, honor and glory where its due. And when times are tough, instead of trying to fix it ourselves, to have faith in the power of God that works in us, not in our power. After all, I’m sure the same power that rose Jesus from the dead is more than capable to handle your situation and turn it around for your good, whether that means making you successful, delivering you from a situation, or helping you develop the peace and endurance to hold on through it.

I’ve got to stop claiming the power of the Holy Spirit for myself and just let him do his work (and give him the credit). He’s a lot better at being God than I am at pretending to be.