True Words From A Real Friend

I love singing. I grew up singing in my bedroom, in the shower, and pretty much anywhere, for that matter. I even thought God was asking me to sing for Him and use this amazing gift for His glory! I could see it in my mind, touring the world for Jesus.  However, there was one small problem. I was not as gifted as I thought I was. Whenever I actually got in front of people to perform, I was so nervous I would go flat frequently. Not to mention, it was a real struggle for me to sing correctly. I never felt comfortable in my own shoes while singing, nor did I sense the grace of God on this particular ability. I tried to get inspiration from my younger brother, an excellent singer/songwriter, and I thought I could do what he was doing because I liked what he was doing! My first clue that I was not a gifted singer should have been the fact that NO ONE came up to me and said I did a good job unless it was family, of course. They would tell me I sounded great even if I was a broken record.

Then, one day, I went to dinner with a friend who straight-up told me that I could not sing. He went on to say that I was not gifted at singing and that my talents were in another area. “Cory, Explore what those are,” he said.

Well, let me just say that I was devastated by our conversation, and I couldn’t sleep the whole night because I was convinced I was supposed to sing. Over the next several months and even years, I realized I was not gifted to sing. Even if I practiced every day and took singing lessons, the whole nine yards, I would have been a very, very below-average singer. If that…ha!

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:6 NLT,

Sometimes, we can convince ourselves that we are right about the direction we need to take or about an important decision that we fail to see clearly. We really like the gifts and talents of someone else and try to claim them for ourselves. We might not say it out loud, but we say it secretly in our hearts and take steps to see them function in our lives. That happened to me.

My younger brother was a great singer and songwriter, and I wanted to be too! It was cool. That came very naturally for him and was extremely burdensome for me, even though I would not have admitted it. I just tried harder, and it became even more frustrating. God had to work through a friend who was very close to me because I was not listening to Him directly. My friend’s words hurt me, but they REALLY HELPED me in the end. I was so grateful for his honesty because it caused me to discover and pursue what I was good at. Instead of pursuing something I was average at, I am now running after what God has called me to do – speak and declare God’s Word. I love speaking and sharing what God has done in my life with others. It is something I do naturally and when sharing in front of people, it motivates me. When I get done, people tell me that I really helped them grow closer to God. I finally started running in my lane, and life couldn’t be better. 

Are you frustrated that you are not being used the way you think you should, even though the grace of God isn’t apparent in empowering you for that specific type of service? Do you need someone to be honest with you and help point you in the right direction? Or maybe you see someone in your world going through a very difficult season, and you know you should say something to them because you LOVE and VALUE them as a person. It might hurt their feelings because you could say something they don’t want to hear, but in the end, it will help them down the right path. I was so thankful for my friend who was willing to tell me the truth even though it hurt. I look back and see how much happier I am now, knowing that I am using the real gifts and talents God has given me to further His kingdom. The next time you hear words you might not want to hear from a true friend, prayerfully consider what they are saying. Those words just might be true riches that lead you into your destiny or bring lasting healing into your life. It did for me.