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Please Don't Settle

  I wrote a song a few years ago called “Don’t Settle.” I wrote it for a friend of mine who had previously been planning on committing suicide. It is one of the only songs I’ve written that I felt came with a tune- the words came easily, and a tune came with them. It is one of the few songs I’ve written that I know God gave to me; He sang it to me softly and I simply wrote it down and remembered it.


  Lately I have thought of perhaps revising the verses a little, but the chorus I will not change. It was the first piece that God gave me, and it is perfect. It goes like this:


  “Don’t settle, please don’t give up


Fight for only the true and beautiful


Fight for only the true and beautiful


Don’t settle, please don’t give up


Fight for only the truth, I’ll fight for you


I’ll fight for you.”


  It was the cry of my heart for my friend, and I believe it is the cry of God’s heart for His children. I know that it is what I want Him to sing to me now, as I am reminding myself not to settle, not to sell out, but to instead to stand strong on what I know to be true.


  I must fight for only the true and beautiful.


  I try to do that, but lately I have felt as though at times it is not worth it. Lately I have been hurt by people I have spent much time loving and trying to grow, like delicate flowers towards an ever-loving Father, and they have burned me with no apologies. It hurts, being hurt. That sounds simplistic, but no matter how old or wise or experienced you are, and no matter how many times before it has happened, it still hurts.


  Lately I have felt like my efforts are a waste- I have thought them not good enough, big enough, brave enough. I have felt like I am failing and not succeeding, lately I have plowed the field but seen no fruit from my labors, and so I have begun to feel that plowing is not worth the time or effort and I had better try hula-hooping instead.


  It is a ridiculous analogy, but I have felt slightly upside-down lately. I keep reminding myself that it is all for God’s glory, but sometimes I feel alone.


  Tonight I was talking to my mom about expectations. I realize that my expectations for myself and for how others treat me will not always be met, but I also feel justified in maintaining those expectations. I know some guys will treat me like crap, but I do not think I should accept that as ok, no matter how frequent it may become.


  Some guys will say crude things to me, ask crude things of me, or just treat me like I’m worthless. Some “friends” will only act like my friend around certain people, and other times being “cool” (whatever that is) will take over and they will treat me like crap- disrespecting me, and just being mean. It will happen, but my expectation is that I will not tolerate being treated like that. I am a child of the most-high God, my Father is the King of Heaven, and I am a worthwhile and valuable human being.


  I pray that over youth all the time- that they are valuable, worthwhile, and beautiful. But I never pray it over myself. I never ask God to remind ME of that, to keep it fresh in MY heart- I often forget to ask Him to reassure ME of MY worth as well, and that my identity and value is found in Him, not in what others think of me.


  People will treat you horribly- it will happen. The world will try to take you and twist you into someone else, because the world doesn’t want you to be who you were created to be. You were created to change the world, and lest it be shifted, the world will try to  beat you to the punch and change you.


  Do not settle for this. YOU are beautiful, valuable, and worthwhile! You are fearfully and wonderfully made! Can I just speak truth into your life for a moment? YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SETTLE OR SELL OUT. It will be difficult- yes, of course. It is harder to stand for something than to lie down and roll over.


  Do not settle for the lies of this world when there is truth waiting for you to taste it. There is a marvelous table laden with food for you, do not settle to eat mud.


  Don’t sell out for the cheap thrill when sticking it out for the long haul will bring you the greatest joy imaginable. You can be fulfilled. But this world will not do it.



  Please, don’t settle. Please don’t give up. Fight for only the true and beautiful.

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