I didn’t like my house. My house was a townhouse. My friend’s lived in actual houses. My house was a rented house. My friends’ houses were owned. I couldn’t paint my walls. I couldn’t move a wall if I wanted to. They could.
Rather than seeing what I did have, I saw all that I didn’t have – when I looked at all my friends had.
Because I compared, I found myself ensnared in defeat and self-pity.
Ever been there? Maybe you can’t understand why life is so hard for you? Why God hasn’t given you more? Why your friend continually has jaw-dropping opportunities open before her? Why it’s been so hard with your health and so easy for others? Why everyone online is so happy and you are not. Why your lot is troubled?
The grass is always greener on the other side, you think. I understand, my friend, I’ve been there too…
I remember, one day, I literally stared at my yard. There was no grass on that rented plot of land. The shrubs were droopy. The ground was dark and dry mud. I didn’t like it. Ick.
Day after day, I felt a little annoyed at that land as I rushed out the front door to go wherever I was going…
But, one day, rather than continually look at what I hated, I decided to rise up and to make my land beautiful. God inspired me! Hope welled up in me. He was giving me vision.
I went to the nursery and bought a whole bunch of beautiful plants. In time, they would bloom! I would have something to enjoy! There was something good actually coming for me at my house.
“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” (Ec. 3:11)
What might God still be beautifying in your life? How can you powerfully take a small action to plant a seed that might grow into something beautiful (ex: send a card of love to a hard relationship, start a new hobby, etc.)? What joy and thanks might return to your heart if you stop comparing your lot against others and start thanking God for what you do have?
After those plants were planted, and time was given for them to bloom, I saw that God gave me something good! Everything didn’t have to be so bad after all! God really does make all things beautiful in HIS TIME.
Joy gives thanks (not only for what we have, but for the beauty that is coming)!!
Prayer: Father, rather than counting and tallying all that we do not have, give us eyes and a heart to see all that we do have, in You. Help us to be thankful. Help us to take action where we have ability. Help us not to be powerless, but powerful in you. We love you. We thank you that you are making all things beautiful in Your time. You are always faithful. We love you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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