I was freezing.
It was as if I thought after twenty-eight years I would miraculously become “warm-blooded” and not need a sweater at a restaurant.
I was wrong.
As I sat there, goosebumps all over, I mused about why I would still think I could get by without a jacket. No one else is cold all the time like I am. I wish I could just be like them.
Now this was a trivial instance of these thoughts, but how many times about larger things I had lamented along the lines? Perhaps you can relate?
I’m sure she never loses her patience with her husband
I’m sure she writes all the time and never wastes a moment
I’m sure she doesn’t have to study as much and gets better grades
I’m sure she has tons of friends because she loves going out all the time while I prefer to stay home
I’m sure she’s a better sister and friend because she prioritizes her time better
I’m sure she’s such a better homemaker — she likes to clean and cooks Pinterest meals daily
The list goes on and on, and, later, as I sat in my car with my hot seat and heater on full blast defrosting after my restaurant experience — I couldn’t help but wonder — what if I let go of what I thought I “should be” and just embrace who I am?
No — I don’t love cooking, but I make it a priority to have good meals for dinner
No– I’m not an extrovert that’s the life of the party, but I’m an introvert that loves remembering little details about my friends’ lives
Yes– I have to study a lot, but I’m dedicated to making the most of my education
No– I don’t always write in every free moment, but I still try to make it a priority when I can
No — I’m not the perfect wife, but I truly do love my husband the best I can
No– I’m not the model friend, sister, or daughter, but I’m so thankful my friends and family appreciate me for who I am
For who I am.
How much would my perspective improve if I followed their example, gave myself more grace, and started embracing who I am, not who I feel I should be?
Comparison steals our joy, it consumes our energy in a negative way, and replaces the happiness our everyday can bring by making us wish for someone else’s everyday. We’ve each been crafted in Jesus’ image with unique gifts, strengths, and weaknesses — what a peace and an encouragement it would be to each of us if we recognized this fact and began to live in this truth. Our joy would come from inside and we would focus on our strengths, not what we feel we lack.
And then, instead of a mantra of “should be” and “could be,” we would could believe the truths He whispers —
You have a place. You are my child. And You are enough.
Just the way you are.
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