The Comparing Game.... Got Peace?
The Comparing Game
Social Media has taken over our lives. You no longer just
hear of friends’ engagements, promotions, awesome new houses, lavish vacations
and birth of their newborn babies. You see it, you live it and sometimes you
ENVY it. Recent studies that focus on
the influence of social media suggest that Facebook evokes envy and insecurity
as a user is constantly comparing their "friends'" images with their
own. So in a society consumed with
social media, how do we find PEACE with our portion? How do we find contentment
in the season that God has placed us in?
There is a popular saying, “The grass is always greener on
the other side”, but I prefer the saying, “The grass is greener where you water
it”. When you establish a relationship with God, you understand and realize
everything you beg and hope for, God isn't just going to give you it. God has
awesome blessings for us, but all of these blessings are blessings according to
His Will and not ours. As the microwave generation, God’s Will sometime seems
too slow and unclear. However, when you step out of His Will, there is always
this inner feeling of disappointment that continues to haunt you.
I made a decision at the beginning of the year to walk away
from a situation that the Jaws of Life would have had to pull me away from
before, because it was something I wanted so badly. I felt a tugging on my
heart to take a step back years ago, but I wanted my way to prevail (I can be a
bit persistent at times lol). When I was strong enough to make the step to walk
away, I thought my world would crumble in devastation, but instead the weirdest
thing happened in that moment. When I thought tears were about to flow, instead,
for the first time in a long time, I felt an inner PEACE.
I knew I had made the
first step in a direction God wanted me to go, however I won’t lie and say,
from then on, it was the easiest thing ever. Following God’s Will isn't easy,
it just promises to be worth it. I've
had and still have hard days and nights, but I know that God wanted and needed
to use this season to get my attention.
In order for me to be who He called me to be, He had to wreck me,
transform me and prune me of my selfish desires and selfish ways. I had to lose
everything I ever put ahead of Him. When
God has a call on your life He will literally strip you of anyone or anything
that you idolize and place ahead of Him. He knew He wasn't first and I knew I
would never experience true inner peace until I made the decision to give Him
first place in my life.
The comparing game is one of the things that make the DAILY
sacrifice to choose God’s Will over ours difficult. We have to remind ourselves DAILY; we were
made perfect for our purpose. True PEACE comes when we stop trying to find
fulfillment in a husband/wife, friends, a lavish and entertaining lifestyle,
dream job, dream house, or a child. None of these things will ever make us
complete. The adrenaline that these things bring will eventually subside, and
the peace that passeth all understanding will STILL only remain when we
establish a true relationship with Christ.
I use the word “DAILY”
struggle, because I too have weak days where I’m on Facebook saying, ‘WOW I
want to visit Greece too’ or, ‘Is that not like the 4th person who
got engaged on my page’, #just saying *side eye*. Those are the moments that God convicts me! When
you experience these moments, those are the times when it’s crucial that we
seek His face, read His Word and remember that we are sooo perfect for our
purpose. This is how we water our grass; by reminding ourselves to take joy in Him
and the MANY blessings He has already given us.
So instead of seeking the “finer things” that your friends
seem to be experiencing, dwell in the PEACE of God’s love and await the “finer
things” He has in His WILL to bless you with! End the Comparing Game… it starts
with YOU!
Matthew 6:33 But seek he first His kingdom and His
righteousness and all of these things will be added unto you.
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