I had a moment recently that I think many people who are building anything ‘from scratch’ eventually face. That statement contradicts the title. Doesn’t it? I know 🙂 But journey with me.
So, I was doing research: listening, reading, trying to sharpen my thinking; and I came across a book on stewardship that sounded too close to what I’ve been working on. Not identical, but close enough to trigger that sinking feeling in the stomach.
You know the one. That instant thought: So… it has been done already. Was I late? Did I waste my time? Is this already “done”?
Research can do that. It can humble you in a good way and it can also discourage you in a dangerous way. Especially when you’re carrying something you thought was “new.”
Luckily for me, there’s an old Scripture line that says: “Nothing is new under the sun“. It is found in Ecclesiastes 1:9, meaning that human experiences, inventions, and history are cyclical and repeat themselves, making true originality an illusion.
At first, that can feel like a shutdown. Like a verdict against your creativity. But I’m learning it’s not meant to kill ambition; instead it’s meant to purify it. Because the real question was never: “Has anyone ever spoken about this?” The real question is: “What is my assignment within it?”
Here’s a thought for you who is building, improving, participating or rebuilding:
The reality is that truth overlaps. Real problems attract multiple minds. Patterns repeat. That’s not failure – that’s reality. If something is true, other people will find it too. If a need is real, more than one person will feel called to address it.
What I noticed as I kept reading was this: yes, there were overlaps – but there were also clear differences in lens and calling. The same theme can be approached from completely different angles. One person speaks to a congregation. Another builds tools. Another translates it into systems and daily practice. Another writes for leaders. Another writes for wounded people. Another writes for ambitious people. Same river. Different banks.
And that’s when the discouragement started turning into a lesson: Similarity doesn’t cancel your assignment. It often confirms that you’re touching something real.
If you’re building anything – a brand, a thesis, a book, a business, a message, a community, a church – research will eventually test you. Not only to expand your mind, but to expose your motive and opportunities for clarity and growth. Because sometimes we secretly want novelty as proof of value. But stewardship is not proven by being first. It’s proven by being faithful.
So here’s what I’m taking from that moment, and maybe you need it too:
- Don’t stop when you discover someone else has said something similar.
- Let it refine you, not erase you.
- Differentiate your lens. Deepen your method. Clarify your audience.
- Keep moving.
You’re not competing for originality. You’re stewarding an assignment.
The fruit isn’t always in being first. Sometimes the fruit is in being faithful.
One, Perfect Love.