It can be easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to others who have more money, a life with seemingly more fun, a nicer appearance, a thinner body, or a more spacious place to live. We are all prone at one point in our lives (if not on a continual basis) to see others and desire what they have or wish we could live a life similar to theirs.
What's missing here and what makes this a skewed perspective is how the way others appear cannot give any insight into where they've been, what their life is really like, or where they are headed. Sure, by the choices people make or how they dress we can get an idea of some of the things they like. And yes, if they have money and a spacious nice home they are no doubt enjoying where they reside above the people who live in a tiny apartment and cannot afford the luxuries that wealthier individuals have.
Have you taken the time to view such circumstances from the lens of eternity; having an eternal perspective? Do you realize that one fire or car accident and their possessions can all disappear and their appearance can be marred? In the midst of your jealousy, do you forget that each of us will stand before God and give an account of our lives and whether or not we willingly served the Lord, made possible through His dear Son, Jesus Christ?
A great friend of mine once spoke of the need to view all of life from an eternal perspective. What a difference this will make in each of our lives if we practice it and train ourselves to see life through the lens of Scripture. We will soon have compassion on those who don't know Christ and our eyes will be opened to see that the very things we envy can actually be tools in the hand of the enemy to keep them away from pursuing Christ or seeing their need for Him.
" 'For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?' " Mark 8: 36
If we consider the fact that every person we meet has a past, present and future, that they have very real experiences in life and circumstances that can or will befall them, that they might be terribly insecure or totally opposed to God, that we know nothing about what their childhood was like or the sort of parents they had or whether or not they will contract an STD or die of Cancer, that we know little about their worldview or the sort of friend they are or who their enemies are or what they secretly indulge in, or so much else, we would find it easier to accept the lot we have been given and would be more apt to consider whether the choices we begin making today and into the future are wise and beneficial for our health, sanity, wholeness and well-being.
Something I'm discovering is that you truly never know how someone's life will turn out, so to envy them or compare yourself to them is actually pointless.
Each of us are broken people living in a fallen world. The only hope for our wretched and needy state is a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the only One who can bring beauty from ashes, restoration from years of pain, wholeness and purity from disaster and addiction, and a right standing with Almighty God whose worth we cannot even fathom and whose love can heal us of our deepest hurts.
Will you trust Him? In the midst of what is going on and despite what you have gone through, will you trust Him? Will you commit your life to Him in full surrender and cling to Christ and His word with resolve to never let go?
If not, why not? What is the alternative?
... To face this world without God's help, healing, restoration, intervention, and comfort? To assume you know what is best and therefore stray from the Bible's teachings and warnings? To become a "sovereign self" and be your own lord and master? To think that somehow life will be better if you aren't under the authority and Lordship of Christ? To be on your own in this world away from the protection and care of God toward those who are His own? ...
Please begin praying that God would open your eyes to see all of life from the lens of eternity. Heaven will be worth all the trials, hardships, and difficulties we experienced in this life, the lessons it taught us, how we were refined through it, and how we treasured Christ even above earthly comforts. This life is so short. Please join me in redeeming the time, making the most of it, and as rough as it is to do so, glorifying our God and King in the midst of the impossible.
Pray for me regarding this and I will pray the same for each of you!
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