Are You a Bird in a Bowl?

I recently watched a message by Steven Furtick of Elevation Church. He brought a fishbowl and a birdhouse onto the stage to make a point about moving in what we are made for.

I’ve felt like a bird in a bowl for most of my life, until about 2 years ago. I started a new chapter that would lead me on a path of uncertainty in the human realm, but peace in the spiritual realm. It has been nothing short of amazing, and this is the path I’d like to remain on for the rest of my life. If I think back, I know God has always had a plan, but I didn’t have a deeper awareness of my spiritual journey until 2011. (Maybe I’ll share that story in a future post.) Two years ago, the journey became more intense and purposeful. It was time for me to get out of the bowl.

I would imagine that most people wouldn’t choose a path filled with uncertainty, but that’s what life is anyway. We want to feel like we’re in control, so we hold on tight to the things that give us security such as jobs/careers, relationships, financial decisions, friends, and so on. Whether it’s good or bad, we hold on because we feel secure. If it gives you peace, that’s great. If not, you may be a bird in a bowl.

When we make choices that affect our path in life, are we doing so out of true love, passion, and purpose; or is it something that was instilled in us during our foundational years? Is it fear? Is it based on someone else’s formula for success, what society says, or anything outside of ourselves for that matter? We have mentally ingested a lot over the years, both negative and positive. Some of us have never questioned these things and are going through life in character; playing a role based on what we believe we must present to the world. Some of these things have kept us from walking fully in who God created us to be.

I don’t know anyone who can say that they are authentic 100% of the time. We may say that we “Keep it real” or in more popular terms, “Keep it 100”, but we’ve all had to get in character at times to reach certain levels of success or to get what we want. (Or what we’ve been told that we should want.) That’s just how the game of life goes. What’s important to me is that I don’t get stuck in that place and forget who I am at my core. Rather than be in character 95% of the time and authentic 5% of the time, I’d like to switch that around. Truly, my goal is to be authentic 100% of the time, but I’ll reserve that 5% just because the game of life seems to require it at times. What matters at that point is that I don’t compromise my integrity or relationship with God in the process of playing the role I need to play.

If you are in character and not authentic most of the time, is it possible that you’re a bird in a bowl? Whether you were forced into that bowl due to what you were taught to believe, or if you voluntarily jumped in because of fear and a desire for security, there are some questions we should ask ourselves.

Am I walking the right path? Is there something deeper within me that is longing to come out? Do I love this job? Am I surrounded by people who encourage and inspire me to grow? Am I truly happy? Am I aligned with God’s purpose for my life? Whether we’re aligned with God’s purpose or not may be the only question we need to ask. I’ll also stress that it’s important to ask that question of ourselves regularly. Unless we stay fully engaged in our lives, we’ll find that we’re just mindlessly going through the motions. The years will fly by. The path you’re on in one season, may not be meant for a lifetime. Don’t get too comfortable or complacent. Stay woke.

There may be seasons where we must be more engaged in the game of it all and can’t be fully authentic. I hate to admit that. There is however a certain freedom that comes with getting older in my opinion. Our percentage of time spent being authentic begins to increase. That is, if we have the courage to do so. Maybe we start to recognize that we’re not going to be here on this earth for an infinite amount of time. I often reference my position of wanting everything that God has for me. That means I can’t be a bird in a bowl because it doesn’t align with God’s purpose for my life.

I may or may not know you personally, but I’m pretty sure you weren’t meant to be a bird in a bowl. If you are a fish, be a fish in the ocean. The point is to be who God created you to be. Whether you are a fish, a bird, or anything in between, you have big things inside of you that are waiting to emerge. With God on your side, you can’t fail. Now is the time. Get out of that bowl!

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