how to rejoice When Others Are promoted before you are
Remembering that it's not you vs them–it's you guys vs darkness.
I remember sitting there just so disappointed.
For years I had been training for this position. From my peer’s perspective I was the clear choice (and the most talented one I might add!)
Yet my leader went on stage and announced all the sudden that they had selected someone I thought less worthy to be their next leader of choice.
My wife looked at me understanding what was going on. She whispered something along the lines of “I feel like that should’ve been you.”
I know. I thought to myself.
But it wasn’t.
I was passed up.
Overlooked.
And eventually forgotten about.
What do you do when others are promoted before you?
If you’re reading this, there is a call of greatness on your life. And undoubtedly, there will be a time when others will be promoted before you.
That experience can be really hard.
Let me share something that has helped:
Cheer for Your Friend Because You’re on the Same Team
One of the things I learned is that the feeling of jealousy is often because I think I'm competing against another person.
I think of the situation in phrases that reflect competition.
“They passed me”
“They chose the other over me.”
Then I realized that the way instead of thinking this is a competition, I should be cheering for this person.
One of the things I learned about the kingdom of God, is that it’s spacious.
The competition isn't me versus this person.
The competition is light versus darkness.
If anything, the enemy wants me to think this person is my enemy, when in fact, the enemy is still the Devil.
And if he can divide and conquer us and pit us against each other he is more successful.
I think the most important thing is to reframe the promotion of others, as good for the kingdom.
Because my life is not in the hands of others.
My life is in the hands of God.
If you're reading this, and you find that others are promoted before you let me encourage you:
Submit yourself to God.
His timing is always perfect.
You were made for greatness,
Phil
"[God] wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another.
...
The enemy wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favor that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbors talents or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall. He wants each man to recognize all creatures ( even himself) as glorious and excellent things."
- C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters