There is no shortage of articles and blog posts on the topic of comparison. Just google the word and you will come up with 185,000,000 results. Seeing as I did just that, by the time you read this, I would venture to say the number may be even higher 🙂
And yet we all do it.
Compare.
We compare ourselves to whatever else is out there. We view facebook and twitter and pinterest and we compare ourselves to that which we have viewed. We estimate and measure and note both the similarities and dissimilarities between our own lives and that of others.
And then it starts – the wishing. We wish ….
- our own life was different
- we had more education
- a better home
- were more talented
- our kids were better behaved
- our children were more athletic
- we could cook, write, dance, garden, or play tennis
With the wishing, comes the dissatisfaction with who we are and the things we have in life.
I recently read this quote by Steve Jobs:
Your time is limited. Don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
How good is that!
Instead of wishing away our days or wishing our lives looked differently, may we live the life we have been given.
Live each day being the very best “YOU” possible.
There is only one you. There is only one me. Never again will someone walk this earth and have exactly my DNA. They may have similar genes. Look a little like me. Perhaps remind you of me. But push come to shove, they will never be “me”.
We can spout off Psalm 139 so easily. But let this sink in today:
- God Himself made you. “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13, NLT)
- You are unique. “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!”
(Psalm 139:14, NLT) Those little quirks of yours? Be thankful for them! - God does good work. “Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.” (Psalm 139:14, NLT) When was the last time you realized you were marvelous! You are!
We each have been allotted so many days on this earth. Heck, I have probably already lived more than half of mine! But here is the thing, I am told in this very same psalm, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139: 16, NLT)
Everyday has a plan. Our lives have a plan. Every moment was laid out before a single one of our days were even lived. Today may take us by surprise but nothing will transpire which will take our God by surprise.
Your time is limited.
Don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
Be the best “YOU” possible.
Today I am joining … Unforced Rhythms and Sharing His Beauty and Mon. Musings and Making Your Home Sing and Create With Joy and Motivation Mon. .
Love this: Your time is limited. Don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
Great encouragement for this week!
So grateful you found it encouraging!
Comparison does make us waste our time! When we spend time thinking that we wish we had more education, popularity, wealth, or whatever, we aren’t able to focus on becoming the people God made us to be. Thanks for the reminder.
It really does become wasted time and energy on what should have been than what is. May we be exactly who He has created us to be so that we achieve exactly what He has for us to do. Blessings!
Such great truth in these words! This applies to my need to please others and be who they want me to be. Thanks for this!
Me too. So very true! Thank you!!!
Good words! The more I understand how he created me, the more I stop comparing myself and feel content! Wish I had understood all that when I was much younger!
I wish I had realized it younger as well!
And it’s a life-long process, isn’t it? This self-discovery thing? What good work God does, to make us so fearfully and wonderfully that we have so much to still unwrap!
Thanks for linking with us at Unforced Rhythms this week!
Kelli, love this thought. May we keep unwrapping, and be amazed at what He has created, all of our days! Blessings!
very encouraging post! I used to think I didn’t have much of a problem with comparison BUT on retreat last March I heard God loud and clear that this was a growing obstacle in our relationship. Your post is a good reminder to continue to be aware of this and to be open to learn and grow. Thanks!
Jean, I think comparison can be a very insidious problem. Awareness & remaining teachable are probably the best remedies.