After leaving Zion National Park, my son and I traveled about two hours northeast to Bryce Canyon National Park. As we climbed from Zion Canyon to more than 8,000 feet at Bryce Canyon, the scenery changed dramatically. The towering sandstone walls gave way to forests of pine and spruce, the temperatures became noticeably cooler, and it felt as though we had entered an entirely different world.
Bryce Canyon is unlike any national park I have ever visited. Despite its name, Bryce Canyon isn’t actually a canyon. It is a series of enormous natural amphitheaters carved into the landscape. What makes it so remarkable is the thousands of towering rock formations known as hoodoos. They rise from the canyon floor like an army of stone pillars, stretching in every direction as far as the eye can see.
What struck me most was that no two hoodoos looked exactly alike. Thousands stood before us, yet every one of them was different. Some stood tall and slender. Others were short and wide. Some appeared perfectly balanced, while others leaned at impossible angles. Each one had its own shape, character, and beauty.
As I stood at Sunset Point looking across that incredible landscape, I couldn’t help but think about the creativity of God. God never seems content to make everything look the same. That shouldn’t surprise us because He didn’t create people that way either.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made… Psalm 139:14
David understood that every human life is the intentional workmanship of God. We are not accidents. We are not products of chance. Every person who has ever lived has been uniquely designed by the Creator.
I have said ever since I was a youth pastor that God didn’t create carbon copies. He created original masterpieces. That doesn’t mean we’re perfect. It means we’re intentional.
God created each of us with different personalities, different gifts, different experiences, and different opportunities to serve Him. No one else has your story. No one else has your combination of abilities. No one else can accomplish exactly what God has designed you to accomplish.
That is why comparison is so dangerous. Comparison is a game you never win. If you think you’re doing better than someone else, pride begins to grow. If you think someone else is doing better than you, discouragement isn’t far behind. Either way, your focus has shifted away from God’s unique purpose for your life.
The Lord never asked us to become someone else. He simply calls us to faithfully become who He created us to be.
As the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon, the hoodoos began to change color. Shades of orange, red, and gold spread across the canyon until darkness settled over the park.
That evening, we joined one of the park rangers for a program on Bryce Canyon’s incredible night sky. Because of its high elevation and exceptionally dark skies, Bryce is one of the best places in America for stargazing. As the ranger pointed out constellations overhead, another thought came to mind. Just as every hoodoo is unique, so is every star.
Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15:41 that “one star differs from another star in glory.” The God who created countless stars, each with its own place and purpose, also created each of us with intentional care. Not one hoodoo is exactly the same. Not one star is exactly the same. And not one person is exactly the same.
Looking back on our visit to Bryce Canyon, I am thankful for the breathtaking scenery, the unforgettable sunset, and the opportunity to experience it with my son.
But the greatest lesson I brought home wasn’t found in the landscape. It was the reminder that God is not looking for copies. He is looking for faithfulness.
He created you on purpose, for a purpose. Live the life He designed for you and let Him receive all the glory.
Personal Reflection: Have you been comparing your life to someone else’s? Thank God for the unique way He created you. Ask Him to help you stop measuring yourself against others and instead faithfully use the gifts, experiences, and opportunities He has entrusted to you for His glory.
Part One – God Can Preserve What Time Cannot (Petrified Forest Naitonal Park)
Part Two – God’s Greatness Produces Humility (Grand Canyon National Park)
Part Three – The Narrow Way is Always Worth It (Zion Naitonal Park)
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
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