Friday, May 11, 2012

Comparison kills the cat

I'm sure curiosity killed the cat too, but comparison seems to kill us all, doesn't it. When we begin to compare our lives with the lives of others around us, we began to have a little pity party and we lose all of our contentment. You see, I have found myself in this boat some days...have you?

My party goes something like this.... I see another mom who has kids who are teenagers and are off at school for the day. I imagine that she is working out by herself (or with a million friends), taking a shower alone with no one calling her name 50 times, and then jetting off to get coffee with yet another friend. Or I see a mom with a little baby and remember the days of taking naps when the baby napped (I seemed to have forgotten the other things that go along with that) and just snuggling with a newborn. Does this ever happen to you?

Other women have emailed and messaged me about how I do everything I do (I guess with 5 kids, it looks like I can handle a big schedule with lots of interruptions). I often find myself telling that mom that SHE has it MUCH HARDER than me....with only one or two children, the mom IS the entertainment. When two children fight, there is no one else to play with...that is way more than I want to deal with! It was harder when I only had one child!

I find that comparing my life with the lives of other women can lead to a spirit of resentment and bitterness. Comparison KILLS contentment every time. There is only One who I must please, and it is NOT me! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob doesn't call me to live someone else' life. He calls me to live the one He gave me. He chose ME for THIS job... No matter how many questions I must answer in a day or how often I get interrupted when teaching or how many loads of laundry I must finish, He still chose ME to do this. I am the one He equips daily to be the wife and mom of this family. And you are the one He chose for your family. No one can do your job like you can...that's why He chose you.

Let us encourage one another today as we live out the lives God gave each one of us. No comparisons. No pity parties. Just contentment in where He has placed us. I am cheering for each of you as you seek to live for His glory today!

1 comment:

Jess Elyse said...

This reminds me of what my college minister has told us repeatedly over the years: "Comparison is the thief of joy."

My friends and I always remind each other of this, because it is so true. And I think for some it is a hard thing to realize and learn. We need to remember to not let comparison steal our joy.