I am currently reading Present over Perfect by Shauna Nieguist for a bible study I am involved with. I am going to discuss a part of the book that spoke to me the most. She starts with a verse from Job.
"God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, "Fall on the earth," and to rain shower, "Be a mighty downpour."
Job 37:5-6
Niequist says "God says to the snow, "Fall on the earth," That's it. Just do one thing. Just fall. And then he says to the rain shower, "Be a might downpour." Essentially, he's saying: just do the thing I've actually created you to do. Your're rain: so rain. You're snow so snow." (p.189)
So many of us inundate ourselves with task that we were not created to do! We commit to things and have problem saying no to things that we are simply not responsible for. This can lead to resentment, anxiety, exhaustion, and even depression. I also take it to mean that we should not compare ourselves to others. This is an area I personally struggle with. If we were created to only do what He created us then how can we compare ourselves to other people? If I am snow, how can I compare myself to rain and wish I was rain? I think if we remember this verse and the context of it that we will have a much harder time comparing ourselves to others.
What are you passionate? What brings you the most joy? Niequist calls doing what we do with ease and lightness our "essential selves." (p 190-191). We tend to walk away that. Our focus leans to be what others want to be. When we fall into this trap, we lose our essential self. We are snow trying to become rain.
Niequist ask us "What do you need to to leave behind in order to recover that essential self that God created? What do you need to walk away from in order to reclaim those parts if you that God designed, unique to you and for his purposes." (pg 191
Are you ready to be who you were created to be? Stop being rain when you were made to snow!
Niequist, S. (2016). Present over Perfect .
Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
