The Prize of Your Race

Competition and jealousy toward one another is a byproduct of having areas of the heart still ruled by orphan type thinking. It is rooted in the lie that there is not enough affection, favor, resources, giftings ect to go around therefore brothers and sisters are not seen as family but competitors. Any perceived gains of another is perceived loss for the one.

What is truth? God is the giver of all things and His supply is endless but there are a few factors to consider.

Motives matter:
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.-James 4:3

Faith matters:
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.-James 1:5‭-‬8

Holy Spirit decides:
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing (gifts) to each one individually as He wills.
I Corinthians 12:11

All are called to minister not all are called to equip the saints: 
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; Ephesians 4:11‭-‬13a

Everyone has their own specific destiny:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

You have all you need already:
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, II Peter 1:2‭-‬3a

Everyone has a place and is needed:
For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? I Corinthians 12:14‭-‬19

Every work will be tested:
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
I Corinthians 3:11‭-‬15

Intimacy matters:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:21‭-‬23

There is a cost:
For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Luke 12:48b

Stewardship matters:
His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ Matthew 25:21

We must be content with what we have been given and steward that well. Our part in the body has already been decided. Increase comes by faithfulness. A life that glorifies God and not self is a life that focuses on the very work entrusted to them.

I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. John 17:4

Focus on the prize of your own race and you will hear the only thing that will really matter at the conclusion: Well done good and faithful servant.