Comparing Ourselves

I learned a while ago to stop comparing my sins to the sins of others. It's too easy to make myself feel self-righteous if I look at others who seem worse than I think I am. Sure I'm no murderer or thief but God knows whats in my heart and He reminds me that I have a LONG way to go. But, recently I thought of another way I compare myself to others and it is just as futile. I compare my problems with the problems of others. We all have something we are dealing with or are going through. It may be financial, it may be health problems of our own or someone we love, it may be relational or emotional but it's something. No one has a "perfect" life, even if that is what some people like to portray. So I find myself comparing my problems to someone else' and most of the time decide that my problems seem small compared to others. It makes me grateful for the blessings I do have but it also makes me minimize my own problems so that instead of taking them before the Lord, I try to take care of them myself. I start to think that God is busy taking care of others who have bigger problems and maybe I shouldn't bother Him. Thankfully God cares about all of our problems no matter how big or how small. He is always willing to listen and He is always willing to help. When we read about Rachel and Leah we can see that God cares about each of our needs and no one has a need too big or too small. If we look at each of these women we could compare their problems and I think most of us would say Leah's were bigger. After all she was the ugly older sister that no one loved. I wonder how the conversation with her father went when he told her his plan to trick Jacob. Did it go something like this "Leah, you know you have no prospects and I really don't see any other way to get you a husband". Did she protest? "but father, he doesn't want me, he wants Rachel". Or, did she think he was right and eagerly go along, hoping Jacob would love her too. How crushed she must have been when Jacob flat out rejected her when he realized he had been tricked. And despite the fact he did work 7 more years for Rachel, he didn't wait that long to get her. She became his wife just one week later. Talk about sibling rivalry. We read in scripture though that God saw Leah and because she was unloved He allowed her to have children. So at this point in the story we aren't feeling too sorry for Rachel. She was the pretty one after all and at least Jacob loved her. After several years of not being able to have children she started to have her own problems, and like we often do she took things into her own hands. She used her maid servant to give Jacob a child. Later we see that after years of watching the women around her be blessed with children, God finally gives her one too. See, God doesn't compare our problems. He doesn't have less concern for me because my problem isn't as big as someone else'. He wants to meet all of our needs and be there to catch us every time we fall and calm every storm that life throws our way. So, if you have been like me, comparing your problems to that of others I encourage you to do what I am going to try to do. Bring ALL my needs and problems to the One who cares and is just waiting to answer.

A broken world

We live in a broken world. Adam and Eve broke it and we can't fix it. My heart breaks for those without jobs who don't know how they will pay this months bills or where their next meal will come from. My heart breaks for those who have suffered through a divorce or disease or death. Sometimes it is easy to loose hope. Sometimes it's easy to forget God is good. It breaks my heart to think that those who are suffering may think that God is getting them back for something they did. It also breaks my heart that those who are doing well think that God is being good to them because they are good. If that is someones view of God then they don't know Him. His love and goodness is NEVER based on what we do or don't do. Are there consequences to sin - yes, but God does not take pleasure in watching us suffer because of our sin. His goal is to show us how to live free. Free from sin and it's consequences. Unfortunately in this lifetime we will never live in a sinless world so we will always be effected by it's fallen state no matter how good we are. But our hope is not in this world. Our goal should not be "happiness" and a life free from all suffering because those are unattainable anyway. We will all be touched by hardships and trials and suffer and mourn. Our hope lies in eternity where there will be no more suffering, no more crying and no more pain. Our hope lies in a savior who loved us and died for us while we were yet sinners. He didn't wait for us to smell good, look good or show up in our Sunday best. He loved us when we were still in the gutter.

Wait and Rest

I always compare my walk with the Lord to my relationship with my children. Many times when I ask them something, I wonder...has the Lord ever asked that of me? Or when I get frustrated with them I wonder, have I done something similar that has frustrated Him? So the other day when I was putting my kids to bed and they came up with all the usual excuses...I'm thirsty, I'm not tired, I need to clean my room (love that one), I started to wonder if there are times when God knows we need to rest but instead of resting we do what my kids do and come up with excuses...but that ministry needs me, but I'm bored, but others will think I'm lazy or un-spiritual. And we ask things like, what am I supposed to do, just wait? And He answers: yes, wait and rest. Why don't we trust Him enough to know He knows the future? Why don't my kids trust me enough to know that I know they will need the strenghth and energy of a good night's rest to accomplish tomorrows tasks? What if God knows that He has a task for us in the future that requires our rest now so that we will have the strength and energy to do what He calls us to do? "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles.They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31