Comparison: A Super HORRIBLE Trick of the enemy!
Have you ever been sitting there and thinking, "yo my life is so bomb!"!? Yyeesss! Have you ever been sitting there wondering, "God where are you? Did you forget me? I've been praying and it's not happening for me, but it's happening for everyone else! Are you there? Do you remember me?"!? No? Just me? Ok that's cool, you don't have to be honest, yet. 🤷🏽♀️I'll share my truth and then I'll hold your hand when you're ready to open up and share yours. But for those of you who are already acknowledging it, just know that you're not alone!
Sometimes I sit and I think, WOW, God has really blessed me! He really knew what He was doing when He aligned certain things to work out the way that they did! He blessed me so that I was able to leave situations that I thought I wanted to be in, but really hated them. I have some pretty genuine people in my life! They encourage and support me and make sure I'm good. I have a roof over my head. I have a car that works. I'm able to pay all of my bills, save some money, have some of the things I want, and I get to travel. I was blessed with the opportunity to earn two degrees. I have a decent job with great benefits. I get to travel and experience different places. I get to laugh every day. i get to enjoy the food that I want to eat. My body isn't perfect, but I am certainly capable of working on the areas that bother me. Other people (not all, but some) seem to think I have it all together. That's because at times they can see and appreciate my blessings/progress more than I can! That should never be the case.
Then other times I find myself getting into such a rut! Not because my life is truly all bad, but simply because I allowed myself to be distracted, distracted by comparison! Sadly, at times, I allow the illusions that I see or what other people say to cloud my judgment. I'll get on Facebook and see 123 engagements/marriages, 456 pregnancy/baby showers/birth announcements, 789 new job offers/home purchases/I won $123,456,789!! Then I start to get down on myself. Like dag why can't I just have this or that? When am I gonna finally have what I desire? Why do I just have to keep watching my friends and family have the things that I desire, especially the ones who seemed to just have lucked up and gotten it? Why can't we all have it? Why do I just have to watch from the sidelines and be happy for them? I know I have great stuff going on but I want THAT! Why do I have to endure the hardships? Why am I not as far along as I would like to be? Where's my growth? Why? Why??? WHY!?!?!? Complain! Complain! COMPLAIN!!!!!!!!
You see, God never once told us to compare our lives to other people's. Especially not just the glimpses we see on social media! People usually don't say, "hey, don't believe that "my life is perfect post" because it just a lie". People show you what they want you to see. Why? 1. You don't have to tell the world all of your business. 2. Some people create an illusion of their life because they really aren't happy/satisfied. 3. Some people just like to "embellish" the truth. So why are we so consumed with what we THINK other people have going on? Here we are wanting something that may not even be real! What did it cost that person?! Would it fit with God's plan for us?When we do that, it's like a slap in the face to God. He created you and your life on purpose! Everything about you and that you experience is on purpose! Remember Romans 8:28? It says, and we know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to HIS purpose. No matter how good, bad, ugly, or indifferent things are, they will all tie together and help to orchestrate something AMAZING just for YOU! Trust your process, trust yourself, and most importantly trust God!
Listen! I know it's hard sometimes! Trust me, I KNOW! At times, I'm way too guilty of comparing instead of celebrating. I know it seems like it's never gonna be your turn and that life isn't fair! But stop looking at it like that! People enter different seasons of life at different times. Different work will be required for different people. Your timeline is not their timeline. Your work is not their work. You'll never be satisfied, IF you continue to worry about someone's else's blessings and aren't thanking God for your own! My friend often tells my I'm comparing apples to oranges when I'm trying to make two things relate that don't necessarily go together. That's exactly what we are doing when we compare another person's life to our own. The two may be in the same category, but they have their own unique features. You don't want to keep wallowing in the shoulda, coulda, wouldas or the what ifs of life. That will cause you to sure enough miss the beauty of your CURRENT life! You'll miss all of the great things happening now, if your constantly chasing your future or wishing you could change your past. Every moment we spend focused on another person's life, is a moment that we lose. A moment where we were supposed to be doing something that God told us to do. A moment where we failed the test. A moment that we can never get back. Experience and appreciate each and every season of your life! Trust me when I tell you, each season is preparing you for the next! Learn everything that you possibly can and be joyful every day! Embrace your life because that's all that you'll ever have!
❤️MrR❤️
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