Joel Osteen Podcast - Be Comfortable With Who You Are | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: August 22, 2025

Instead of comparing or competing with those around us, God wants us to appreciate the gifts and talents He's given us. If you'll use what you have to the best of your ability, His anointing will cause you to go further than you could imagine! Your best days are still ahead, and together we can make a difference in this world with the message of God's hope and love. To give visit JoelOsteen.com/GiveHope.God’s grace is the key for you to step fully into the future He has prepared for you. Our August offer will help you overcome your past, let go of fear, and rise in bold faith. Request Victoria’s new book and know with confidence that you are Graced to Go, https://bit.ly/4jYrsdS!  Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of the Joel Osteen Podcast ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast, and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend? We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. And God bless you. It's a joy to come into your homes. We love you. I know God has great things in store.

If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks so much for tuning in today. I like to get started each week with something kind of funny. And I heard about this man. He called the church office and said, I want to speak to the head hog at the trough. The secretary was offended. She said, if you mean the pastor, you're going to have to call him pastor,

but you may not call him the head hog at the trough. He said, fine, but I was thinking about making a $10,000 donation to your church. She said, hang on. Porky just walked in. All right. Hold up your Bibles. Let's say it like we mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert. My heart is receptive. I will never be the same in Jesus name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about being comfortable with who God made you to be. God has equipped each one of us with specific gifts and talents. When God made you, he knew how high you could jump, how fast you could run,

and how much you could accomplish. He put in you a specific set of skills. And it's up to each one of us to not only identify those gifts, but we have to be disciplined to develop our gifts. And one of the keys is you need to stay in your strength zone. There's something that you're good at naturally, something you can do that comes easy to you. Some of you, you could sell ice to an Eskimo. You have a gift of communication.

And you shouldn't be sitting behind a desk all day, not interacting with other people. Get in your area of gifting. Some of you are great with your hands. You can build furniture, you can make cabinets. It's like that second nature to you. that's your strength zone. That's the way God has wired you. It's all a part of your divine destiny.

And we need to ask ourselves, what am I good at naturally? What do I do well? We have to identify our strengths and then identify our weaknesses. And the scripture says to give yourself to your gifts. In other words, don't spend all your time trying to improve your weaknesses. Don't waste valuable days pursuing things that are outside your main gifting. Focus on your strengths. Spend time improving the areas that you're already good at.

I heard somebody say, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, the most we can ever improve is two or three numbers. And for instance, I may have a desire to sing, but I can tell you my singing ability would only rate about a 2. Don't laugh. Yours is not any better. But even if I spent years taking voice lessons and having people

train me, I would still probably only be able to bring that up to a four, maybe a five. But think about it. Five is average. Five is just mediocre. If you'll take something that you're already above average in right now, something

that you're already naturally good at, maybe in cells, in building, in teaching, you're already a six or a seven. If you'll put your time and energy focused on developing that skill, you'll look up one day and you'll be a eight, a nine, who knows, maybe even a ten. Focus on your strengths,

the things that you're already good at. That's what God has wired into you. But too often, we see somebody doing something and we think, I want to do that. That looks more exciting. That seems more impressive. and we make the mistake of getting out of our strength zone. But you have to stay in your area of gifting

and don't fall into the trap of comparing your success with someone else's. You're not running against them. They have their own race. They have their own set of skills. They have their own purpose. If you're going to compete against anyone, compete against your own inner voice.

That voice down in your spirit that tells you who you are and what you were created to be. When you get complacent, that's the voice that tells you, come on, press forward. God has more in store. But don't compete against other people. Run your own race and be the best that you can be. I think about on a football team, there are certain positions that require different talents.

If you're a lineman that blocks the defense from trying to get the quarterback, you need to be big and heavy and strong. You don't have to necessarily be fast. You don't have to have to have good hands. You don't have to throw accurately. Size and strength is what's really important. But on the other hand, if you're a running back, it's a totally different set of requirements. You need speed, agility, quickness. You have to be able to dart here and there and try to outmaneuver your opponents. It's the same team but different requirements. The problem occurs when the linemen says, I'm not happy where I am. I never get to run the ball. People don't cheer for me like they cheer for the running back. I think I'm going to change positions. This is what many people do in life.

They try to function outside of their natural gifting. They see somebody that's more successful or something that's more glamorous. And instead of running their race, being comfortable with who God made them to be, they compare themselves. And they end up. letting that frustrate them. But you have to stay in your strength zone. You're not going to be good at something that you are not equipped to do. And God will help you to become everything he's created you to be, but he will not help you to be something you were not created to be. And the scripture tells us, we have to accept the gift God has given us. It's easy to think, God, I want that gift. God, I want to be able to sing. God, I want to be in management.

I want to be the running back. But if you'll quit comparing and take the pressure off of yourself thinking that you have to have a certain position in order to feel good about who you are, if you'll quit doing that, you'll feel that weight lift off of you. Some of you are always in competition

with a family member, with a friend, with a coworker. But you need to get free today. We're not supposed to be competing against anyone else. Run your own race. I heard somebody say, I would rather be a great sergeant than a poor general. We have to realize not everyone was equipped to be a general. Everyone can't be the leader. Everyone can't be the boss. But a lot of times, because of the pressure we put on ourselves and the need we feel to impress,

we think, I've got to do what they're doing. I've got to be in that position, so I'll be respected, so I'll feel important. But that need to impress, is because we have our worth and value in what we do instead of who we are. You don't need to impress people in order to feel good about yourself. If you'll quit looking at others and just take what God has given you and be the best that you can be, then you can feel good about yourself. I think about my brother Paul. In 1999, when my father went to be with the Lord,

Paul gave up his practice as a successful surgeon. He moved back home to help us here in the ministry. And in the natural, he could have wanted to be in charge. After all, he's the older brother. He could have thought, I'm not going to go back home and serve my younger brother, especially if he's going to get up there and make jokes about me all the time. But Paul is comfortable in who God made him to be. He doesn't have to be up here in order to feel good about himself.

We recognize our giftings are different. I know I enjoy spending most of the week preparing for the weekends. This is what I focus on. Down deep, I believe this is what I was born to do. On the other hand, Paul enjoys meeting with people one-on-one, getting into their lives, finding out how he can help. He's very relational. I'll call him some nights, hey, what are you doing?

We're having friends over for dinner. Another night, what's going on? We're having the couples class over, like 30 or 40 of them. Another time, he's at a friend's counseling them that's struggling in their marriage. Paul likes getting into people's lives. And don't get me wrong, I love people, but I'm just the opposite. When I'm at home, I don't want any company. Listen, I love you, but do me a favor.

Do not come and visit me. What is that? God has wired us differently. Paul recognizes his gifting. He's not striving to be up here. He's not thinking, one day I'm going to feel. good about myself when I'm in charge, Paul accepts the gifts God has given him. He has the attitude, I'd rather be a great sergeant functioning in my gifting than be just an average general.

But there's this temptation today to compare our gifts. And when we do so often, we get out of our strength zone. We get into areas that are not our main gifting. So much better to do like Paul did and just recognize these are the gifts God has given me and I'm going to accept it. And at the same time, I'm not going to feel less than and inferior because I can't do what somebody else can do. I know sometimes I'll hear other ministers, and they can articulate things so well. They're these great orators, and they've got deep voices and they can move the audience. I think to myself, I am so ordinary. I just get up here and talk in my Texas twain.

Compared to them, if I allowed myself, I could feel inferior, insecure. But I've learned this simple principle, I'm not competing against them. I don't have to compare. All I've got to do is be the best me that I can be. The scripture says there in Proverbs 1816, your gift will make room for you. If you will develop what God has given you, you will have opportunity. You will see favor. You will have doors open.

Understand, staying in your gifting and developing your, talents is a key to fulfilling your destiny. I know when my father went to be with the Lord, I made a decision at the very beginning that I was going to be who God made me to be. My father was raised Southern Baptist, and he was 40 years older than I am, and our personality and styles weren't exactly the same. I'm kind of laid back and easygoing, and my father could be a little more fiery, a little more feisty. And at first, I thought maybe I should be like my dad. Everybody's used to after all he built the church, but I never gave into that temptation. I said, God, I'm going to be who you made me to be. And if it doesn't work out, I'll go do something else. When I first began

ministering, I thought I had to have so many scriptures and an opening text and so much of this and so much of that. But the more I ministered, the more I realized I'm my very best when I'm just sharing a simple thought. I feel the most at ease and the most fulfilled when I just encourage people and talk about living a victorious life. Now I realize that's my area of gifting. That's the way God has wired me. And you have to be sensitive enough to not only identify your gifts,

but take it a step further and develop them. Give yourself to your gift. In other words, focus on what you do best. It may not be the way other people do it. It may not be the way you're expected to do it. I'm sure I could teach on different subjects and go more down this road or that road. but I recognize the main gifting God put on my life,

and I put all my energy into that. And I found most of the time we are not going to be good at doing five different things. We may be average, but I really believe there's one thing you were born to do, one thing you can excel at. And really, we are not free until we are free from trying to please everyone.

And I say this respectfully, but you cannot live just to be who your parents want you to be. or who your boss wants you to be, or who your friends want you to be. You have to stay true to who God made you to be. When my father died, I recognized my father's calling was not exactly the same as my calling. And as much as I love and respect my father, I knew I could not run his race. People say to me sometimes, Joel, you're doing a great job, fill in your dad's shoes. And I understand what they mean. They're complimenting me. But really, we're not called. to fill anyone's shoes, you've got to run your own race.

I know my father's calling was to help bring down the denominational walls. He went all over the world, ministering about the fullness of the spirit. And when I first took over, I thought maybe I should just do what daddy did. Maybe I should preach his sermons, go down that same road. But when I really searched my heart, I knew down deep, my calling is to plan a seat of hope, a seat of encouragement in people's lives. And of course, I wanted to honor my father. And I struggled with this, knowing that the vision God put in me wasn't exactly the same as the one he put in my father.

But one day I was reading a scripture and it really set me free. It was talking about David. And it said, David fulfilled God's purpose for his generation. And when I read that, I could hear God speaking to me right down in here. He said, Joel, your dad fulfilled his purpose for his generation. now you go out and fulfill your purpose for your generation. And I realized, at that point, I realized, I've got to run my race and be the best me that I can be.

After all, God doesn't want a bunch of cheap imitations. Let's be the originals God has created us to be. One reason David was so blessed was he understood what he was good at. He really knew his gifting. When he was out in the shepherd's fields, he developed his talent with the slingshot. He became a master sharpshooter. That didn't just automatically happen.

He had a natural bent toward it, and he took the time to develop that talent. I can imagine as he was taking care of his father's sheep, he didn't just sit around there, lazy and unmotivated. He used that time to practice hitting targets with his slingshot. He got better and better until one day he could hit a bull's eye 100 feet away. And it's interesting. David had other talents. He was a great songwriter. He was a skilled musician. He was a talented leader. But do you know the gift that got him promoted? The gift that made room for him was his talent with the little slingshot. What am I saying? Don't despise

the gift God has given you. It may seem small. It may not seem very significant, but it doesn't have to be an important gift for God to use it in a great way. Stay focused, stay determined, and pursue what God's put in your heart. At that time, the leader was King Saul. He loved David. He could see David's potential. He would have David over to his home. David was one of his military strategist. He'd have David go out and lead the troops. And David was extremely effective. And at first, Saul was so happy for him. He was his number one fan. But something happened that changed it all. One day, David was coming home from a battle where he had defeated the Philistines, and the women were singing a song saying, Saul has killed thousands,

but David has killed tens of thousands. The scripture says from that moment, Saul never looked at David the same way. What happened? Saul became jealous. He was so insecure, he thought, I can't be number two. I'm supposed to be the greatest. I'm supposed to get all the compliments. Now they're talking about somebody's greater than I am. Saul could not walk in the company of great men because he didn't really know who he was.

Sometimes like David, people will despise you because you're effective. Sometimes people will talk behind your back simply because you're talented. The fact is, David didn't do anything wrong. He didn't come back saying, look how great I am. Saul I out, did you? Man, I'm something special. No, he was simply being the best that he could be. He was giving it his all. It was the other people that were singing David's praises. The problem with King Saul was he was not satisfied with the gifts God has given him. When he heard them singing about how he had killed thousands, he liked that. But when they started singing about how David had killed tens of thousands and how David had killed tens of thousands and how David, had outdone him, it was that comparison that caused him to get jealous and despised David. If he could have just recognized, David was running a different race.

God had given him different talents. Even though David was more successful, Saul didn't have to feel inferior or less than. But he let that unhealthy, competitive spirit cause him to think, David's getting all the praise. They're going to think David's greater than I am. Here's a key. If you're not comfortable with who you are, you'll never be able to celebrate somebody that's ahead of you, somebody that has more talent. Because when we're insecure, we're always comparing. Even if it's your best friend like David was to Saul, if you can't compliment them and celebrate their successes without feeling inferior, without getting jealous, then that poison that's on the inside is going to keep you from becoming, oh, God's created you to be.

if Saul could have just recognized he wasn't running against David. He wasn't competing against him. Saul had his own race with his own set of skills, with his own purpose. If he would have just been able to congratulate David and genuinely be happy for him, he could have gone on to do great things and to fulfill his purpose. But he let that resentment. He let the fact that somebody was ahead of him cause him to get distracted. He lost her. He lost her. focus, and he never did fulfill his divine destiny. Here's a phrase I want you to remember. Don't compare yourself, celebrate yourself. Someone else may have conquered 10,000, and you only conquered a thousand, but you have to realize a thousand is still very good. Some people only conquered 500.

Some people only conquered 50. Don't lose your enthusiasm because you're not keeping up with others. We're not supposed to keep pace with other people. We're supposed to keep pace with our own inner voice. We need to have the attitude. I'm going to be the best me that I can be. I know I am one of a kind. I know I'm in a class all by myself. Now I'm not going to try to be like David. He may have conquered tens of thousands, but God knows what I'm capable of. And I'm not going to feel inferior just because somebody outdid me. I'm going to be comfortable with who God made me to be. Now, I found if you can't compliment others, you'll never really be able to compliment yourself. Because every time you accomplish something new, every time you rise higher, you'll see somebody else that can do it a little better than you.

Somebody else that's a little more successful. You have to be secure enough in who you are to celebrate other people's victories. It's only when we can celebrate others that we can really celebrate ourselves. It boils down to this. The creator of the universe has put different gifts and talents in each one of us. Every person doesn't have the same amount of talent, the same amount of potential. And we have to be big enough to recognize I may not be a 10,000 level person like David. God may have made me to be a thousand level person, but I can guarantee you this. I'm going to be the best thousand level man you've ever seen.

I'm not going to stop at 990, not going to stop at 995, not going to stop at 999, I'm going to become all God's created me to be. And when I hit 1,000, I'm not going to look back and get depressed because somebody hit 10,000. I'm running my race. I know God's put in me everything that I need. That means I have the right personality. I have the right looks. I have the right height. I have the right gifts. I have the right talents. I have the wisdom. The ideas, the creativity, God has equipped each one of us with exactly what we need. Quit thinking that you have to measure up to someone else. You don't have to feel less than because you're not as successful as another family member or a friend or a coworker.

You're not running their race. You're in a class all by yourself. When God made you, he threw away the mold. You don't have to live up to anyone's expectations. Just be the best that you can be. celebrate who God made you to be. And some of you are real good at celebrating others, but you need to start celebrating yourself.

You may not be a general. We may not be like King David, but we don't have to feel less than. Put your shoulders back and be the best private you can be. Be the best corporal you can be. Be the best sergeant you can be. Bottom line is take what God is given you and make the very most of it.

And don't ever feel intimidated because you see somebody that has more gifts. or more talents. Listen, if it was not for the goodness of God, none of us would be where we are today. When we compare, we lose focus. We get distracted. But I've learned I can't run with your vision. I can't follow in your footsteps. It may be a great vision. It may be exciting. But I recognize God has equipped you with what you need. You have the gifts and the talents to accomplish what God's put in your heart. But the moment I get out of my calling and try to do what you're doing, I lose my anointing. My gifting is not right. My tools are not appropriate. It's like I need

some screwdrivers, but all I got is a bunch of wrenches. What happened? I got out of my calling. God has put in you everything you need to fulfill your destiny, but he has not equipped you to do something that's outside of your vision. And I know people that are in the their 50s, even in their 60s, and they're still not happy with who they are. And it's because they're trying to bring something out of them that was never in them. At some point, they got off course. They got distracted, and instead of running their race, staying in their gifting, they saw a friend doing something, and now they're trying to do it. They're trying to be something that they're not. It's so important that we stay free from comparisons and free from trying

to keep up with everyone. Now take the pressure off yourself. Just go out each day and be the very best that you can be. And when you really follow your own inner vision, it's not a constant struggle. Yes, it takes work. Yes, it takes determination. But when you're in your calling, running your race,

the gifts, the talents, the drive, the determination, it comes up out of you naturally. But you cannot pull from something that's not there. You've got to be comfortable with who God made you to be. An old King Saul, he was so jealous. He couldn't stand the fact that they were singing about David's praises.

He ended up trying to kill David. He spent years trying to get rid of him, but all that did was lead to his own untimely death. When God has anointed someone to be at a certain position, there's nothing we can do to stop it. Being jealous, being critical, talking behind their back, that's not going to stop them. all that's going to do is lead to our own downfall.

It's much better to just recognize God has gifted this person. God has put talents in them, and who am I to argue with the creator of the universe? I'm going to be happy for them and at the same time recognize God's given me everything I need to be victorious. It's interesting how Saul faced his successor, verse how the Apostle Paul faced his successor. Saul tried to kill David, but the Apostle. Apostle Paul did it right, he encouraged Timothy. He tried to build him up. Instead of being jealous and intimidated, he said, Timothy, stir up your gifts. You don't have a spirit of fear. You're strong. You're courageous. He was saying, Timothy, you're going to do great things. I celebrate what God has put in you. How could Paul do that? Here's the key. Paul said, I have kept the faith. I have finished my course. Paul knew he wasn't competing against anyone. He was running his own race. He developed his gift. He stayed in his calling. He was able to say, I've become all God's created me to be. I have finished my assignment. That's my prayer for

each one of you, that you will develop your gifts and talents, and you will run your race. Why don't you break free from any comparisons? You're not competing with others. Compete against your own inner voice. Don't compare yourself. Celebrate yourself. You are one of a kind. and if you will stay in your strength zone and develop your gifts, God has promised your gifts will make room for you. Now, I know every one of us has untapped potential. Stay focused and work on the things that you're already good at. If you will be comfortable with who God made you to be,

not go around competing and comparing, you're not only going to enjoy your life more, but God's going to pour out his blessings. And one day, like Paul, you'll be able to look back and say, I've kept the faith. I have finished my course. Amen. Do you receive it today? We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you, my Lord and Savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible.

Bible-based church and keep God first place, he's going to take your places that you've never dreamed up. It's easy to get stuck in life because of fear and lack of confidence, or we've been through disappointments, but I'm excited about Victoria's new book, Grace to Go. It'll help you move past what's holding your back and step into new levels of your destiny. My heart for this book is that you will discover the courage, the gifts, and the faith that God has put in you so that you can see your dreams come to pass. It's not too late.

The obstacles are not too big. The grace of God equips you to go beyond your comfort zone and overcome what looks impossible. You are stronger than you think. You are not alone. You are graced to go. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this month,

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With an additional gift, we'll send you the Grace to Go Bold Bundle, featuring Grace to Go by Victoria Osteen and Pray Bold. by Joel Osteen. These two powerful books will stir your faith, break hesitation, and help you believe big again. Grace is power. When you receive it by faith, it enables you to take the next step, so you can become all you are created to be. Victoria and I are so grateful to spend this time with you. We pray for you and your family every day. Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is helping people around the world. Special thank you to our children. champion of hope partners for your monthly gifts. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider

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