“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. (1 Corinthians 10:23, ESV)

There is freedom in Christ; we are not under the law. But just because there is freedom, that does not mean that we can just do anything we want to. As Christians, there are some things that, although are not inherently wrong, are not useful or profitable for us. There may be some things other Christians can do, but God won’t allow you to do them; He has something better for you. It is for your good and sanctification to obey that calling. I had found a poem that speak to this, so I wanted to share some of it.

OTHERS MAY; YOU CANNOT
-Author Unknown.

IF God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious He may let others get credit for the work which you have done, and thus make YOUR REWARD TEN Times GREATER When JESUS COMES.
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That is the first half of the poem. I will print the other half next week. May you rejoice in all that God is doing in you, not fret about what He is not.