Stop Being Hard on Yourself with Unrealistic Expectations | John Giftah Throwback | Christian Sermon

0:01 Speaker 1: Do you ever look around and think, wow, the world is a crazy place, and it just seems to get crazier and crazier? Ease your mind and take a break. This is Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. We're a hub for inspirational Christian sermons, practical keys for Christian living and Christian discussions and interviews. You'll be inspired to live the life that you were created for. Your host is a top ranking podcaster, bestselling author, world record holder, aerospace engineer, life coach, evangelist and founder of John Gifta International.

0:41 Speaker 1: Welcome to Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta.

0:49 Speaker 2: Hello everyone, welcome to this edition of the Fuel for the Soul with John Gifter podcast and it's such a joy for me to be with you today because I want to share an important word I believe is so needed for such a time as this. I just want you to stay tuned for the next couple of minutes because we're living in a time and age where a lot of people are living from a place of comparison, where they feel intimidated, where they're always in the lookout, where they see like, oh my goodness, this person...

1:13 Speaker 2: They've gone so far ahead in life. Look at this person. Look at the fruit in their life. Look at what they are able to do. Look at my life. No matter how much time I spend, no matter how much of money I'm investing, no matter how much I'm putting my heart and soul into this, but still I Look at the results that I'm getting and look at the results somebody else is getting. And I want to share an important word with you guys, because I believe that we're living in a time when people can look at the best outputs on social media and they can feel intimidated or they can look at somebody else, you know, really flying ahead in life and progressing in life.

1:48 Speaker 2: And they feel like, oh, my goodness, what is happening with my life? Because I believe this is so important for such a time as this. I'm going to share a few scriptures and I'm going to get this started today. First things first, I want to share with you an important principle from Matthew 25. I'm sure you know this parable where the master is going on a long vacation or a holiday. He's going away for a long time and he calls in three of his servants and he gives them different gifts or talents.

2:20 Speaker 2: Different translations or different versions of the same parable talk about it as that he gave them bags of gold, or he gave them talents, or he gave them gifts, whatever it is, but there's an important principle to note, all right? It says in Matthew 25 verse 15, to one he gave five bags of gold, to another he gave two bags, and to another he gave one bag. But the key is in the next phrase of the same verse, and it says, each according to his ability. I want you to understand this important truth, guys, that God is not a, you know, like a partial God.

3:00 Speaker 2: He's not like, you know what, I like you so much, I'm going to give you more. I don't like you so much, I'm not going to give you enough. That's not who God is. God gives us in accordance to our ability. You know, as much as now, for instance, as a minister, as somebody who has huge, big visions for my life, you know, I've seen ministering in stadiums and crusades and conferences and you know that that's my design that that's the vision god has shown me um and i'm praying and working in that direction uh for my life but but the truth of the matter is imagine if i'm invited to speak at the passion conference tomorrow like for instance right or the hillsong conference or any huge international conference right now.

3:45 Speaker 2: You know, the question is, am I really going to handle the opportunity well? Will I really be able to meet the expectations of that platform if I'm given the chance today? You know what I mean? So God always takes us through the process when he gives us one to see how we are faithful in the little. Only when we are faithful in the one so that we make the one into two. And then he entrusts us with two so that we can be faithful with two so that we will produce four. You know, that's the way God builds us up.

4:18 Speaker 2: That's the way God entrusts us with more because he looks at how we are handling the little. You know, today I want you to understand if you're feeling like intimidated, look at this person. They had five and they made it to 10. And look at me, I'm stuck with one. My question is, what are you doing with the one? Are you faithful with the one? The question is, are you understanding that that one is the ability that you have and that's why you've been entrusted with that one? You know, there could be somebody who didn't even get that one.

4:49 Speaker 2: At least you got that one. You know what I mean? Like, I want you to have that perspective today. You know, that God is not going to expect the one with one, who got one, to produce 10. You know, he expects the one to at least make it two. You know, God is not going to expect you in the level that you're in to produce the output somebody else has. who is far off in life, who has, you know, already been entrusted with more, you know, he's not going to expect you to do that. He's only going to expect you to do what you can do.

5:21 Speaker 2: You know, there's a very important verse. I just love it so much. And I always come back to it. It's found in Mark 14, verse 8. Okay, Mark 14, this is a moment where, you know, a lady comes and anoints Jesus with a very costly perfume. And there were those who were critical of it. And they said, oh, come on, this money can be spent on the poor and all of these things. But verse eight is a very, very powerful verse because I always go back to this. I love this so much. And I really challenge you to do that.

5:50 Speaker 2: You know, when you look at the enable version of this verse, it says Jesus responds to the critics and he says, she did what she could. That's the first part of this verse. She did what she could. In another translation, it says, she has done what she could. My question to you is, are you doing what you can do? If you have done or if you're doing what you can do, that's more than enough. God is not going to expect you to do something beyond. He's not going to expect you who has one to produce 10.

6:23 Speaker 2: He's going to expect you who has one to make it to two. If you have two, he's not asking you to compare yourself with somebody who has five, who has made it to 10. You're not called to compare your output with somebody's. somebody else's output, because they had a different starting point. They have gotten a different set of experiences, different set of backing, maybe financial backing, maybe they have the family support, you know, maybe they have something that you don't have, you know, so stop comparing and just be faithful with what you have, because it is, it's ultimately dependent on what you have done with what you can do.

7:02 Speaker 2: That's the real question. Now, let me just I'll give you an example. For instance, if you take a cup, a cup has a limitation on how much of liquid can be poured into it. Now, if I take a bottle, for instance, a bottle definitely has a greater volume of content that can be poured into it. But here's the thing. If I'm trying to compare this bottle's ability with the cup's ability, it's going to be foolish. Why? Because the cup has a certain ability. It can handle this much quantity of liquid, and the bottle can handle a greater quantity of liquid, right?

7:46 Speaker 2: If I'm trying to pour in whatever is in the bottle into the cup, what's going to happen? There's going to be, you know... Like the cup cannot handle it, right? You get what I'm saying? That's the same principle I want you to understand with life. That God knows maybe somebody has the ability to handle the quantity of a bottle, but somebody else has the ability to handle the quantity of a cup. But that is how God knows that you can handle only certain things. quantity or and that's why he's giving you only in accordance to your ability so stop comparing yourself because you have a different purpose than somebody else you know a cup has a different purpose a bottle has a different purpose i cannot carry my bottle everywhere i cannot carry my cup everywhere i can use my cup maybe if i'm thirsty i want to drink something I can drink while I'm speaking on the podcast.

8:44 Speaker 2: It wouldn't look kosher for me to drink from a bottle while I'm speaking on a podcast. At the same time, if I need to carry water or any liquid from my home to my office, I cannot carry it in my cup. I can only carry it in my bottle. You get what I'm saying? Same thing. Each one of us have a different purpose and different gift. So don't compare yourself with somebody else. But be faithful with what you have been given and entrusted because only when you're faithful with that, he will entrust you with more.

9:17 Speaker 2: And that's where the pressure will just take off because you don't have to try to perform like, oh my goodness, you know what? Somebody else is able to carry so much. I should also be able to carry so much. No, you be faithful in carrying what you are called to carry and God will take care of of the rest because he has designed you for a purpose he has designed somebody else for a purpose and when each of us work out in accordance to the ability god has given us whatever we can do then at the end we will receive the good words from the lord you know that the master tells in the end of the end of the parable he says well done my good and faithful servant so that's the challenge i want to leave with you guys so take the pressures off and i believe that god is going to use you mightily and let this word go forth and bless you and entrust you and help you do the much more for the glory of god amen god bless you.

10:16 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Fuel for the Soul with John Gifta. We hope you were blessed and inspired to live the life that God has for you. Make sure to subscribe to the John Gifta YouTube channel for regular uploads of sermons, skits, interviews, and more. Follow John Gifta on Instagram for regular inspirational posts. And don't forget to check out the best-selling books written by John Gifta, Who Am I?, which will help you understand your identity, and the latest number one bestseller, Unveil Your Purpose, helping you discover your purpose and to start walking in it.

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