More Than Enough

Hey you! Yes, you! The one with the coffee-stained teeth and blood-shot eyes from lack of sleep. I'm talking to you. The one with stretch-marked skin from being pregnant. The one who stepped out of the shower with no time to fix your hair. The one who had places to go but forgot to brush your teeth. The one who just needed to shave your legs or maybe shaved a little too quickly cutting yourself. Guess what? You are beautiful!

Stop buying those magazines in the store where the pictures have been Photo shopped to make a sale. Turn away from those ads on TV that promise you'll look a certain way if you buy into their program. Ignore the devil putting jealousy into your heart because someone else got to go on vacation or their baby walked earlier than yours did. Quit stepping on the scale and beating yourself up about every little pound. STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS!

 

Mainly, it's our own negative train of thoughts that can affect our thinking. If only I lost a few more pounds, then I'd be happier. If only my kid could read like my friend's kid whom she bragged about on Facebook. If only my house looked immaculate like that one. If only, I could just be more like someone else. If only I could look like someone else. If only we had more money than we'd be happy. If only my husband helped around the house more like so-and-so's husband. If only I could eat the perfect, healthiest meal instead of making a quick box of mac n' cheese.

Constantly comparing ourselves to others is only going to break you down taking your joy away. But it doesn't have to be this way.

Why can't we be happy with how God made us, stretch-marked skin, coffee-stained teeth, hairy armpits and all? Why can't we be thankful for life as we know it even when times are tough? When we complain about our looks, we are essentially complaining about the way God made us. When we compare how our lives are going to the person next to us, we miss out on so much. Boy, do we get it all wrong sometimes by comparing. I know I do!

Psalm 139: 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

What if instead of being jealous that our friend's child can ride their bike at age three, we can be thankful that their child has an adventurous spirit? What if instead of comparing the way our body looks after having a baby to someone else, we stand in awe of a God who gives us a body that can do so many amazing things? What if instead of wishing for the perfect Pinterest house we could be thinking about giving more of our money towards a third-world country? What if instead of wishing we could make every meal from scratch, we were thankful we ate today?

The world wants us to think differently. The world tells us to buy into the promises that if we looked, acted, and felt a certain way, then we'd be happy. It says so on the cover of those magazines in the checkout lane. It says so when it tells us that we will be happier if our kids are doing x, y, and z. It says so when we think we aren't doing enough like that other person over there. It says so when it feeds the minds of so many to follow it's path. But it's not God's way!

God's way says that we are "wonderfully made." God's way says our children are His blessings and all that we own are His blessings too. God's way tells us not to have "treasures on earth but treasures in heaven." God wants us to be "thankful under all circumstances."

I often wondered if the Israelites played the comparison game in the desert those 40 years about eating the same food and being on a difficult terrain. I can just hear it now. Their complaining was probably like, "If only I could eat a lamb right about now and enjoy some wine. Instead, I have to eat this quail again. I wish I could be an Egyptian and enjoy a grand feast. Their clothes are fresh and fancy with all the latest colors. My clothes are filthy and I've got more dust up my nose than I could ever imagine. Plus, they get all the comforts they could ever imagine. I get to go sleep on this rock again."

I think we'd be much happier if we could look for the good in every situation instead of finding something wrong. Comparison is a big waste of time.

I want to encourage you to cling to God when you feel the urge to start comparing yourself. Remember who He created you to be and give Him praise. He is worthy of all of our praise. And thankfully, we don't have to worry about being perfect. God finds you pretty amazing and that is more than enough.