Comparisons and Flowers

I continuously compare myself to others. I am skinnier than them. I am fatter than them. I have longer or shorter hair than them. I am taller or shorter than them. They dress better than I do.  They are prettier than I am. I am nicer than they are. They have more money than I do.  And it goes on continuously through my mind.

I have noticed I play the comparison game more when I am around people who I am not sure of their opinion of me or I know they don’t like me.  I never make comparisons with family or best friends.  I can notice the differences and likenesses without tearing myself down or building myself up where there is no problem.  My family and friends that should have been family know my strengths and weaknesses and they don’t hold them against me.  They encourage me the way I am.   

When I was involved in my book club every week, I never  worried about what they thought of me.  When I was my lowest in college, they took me in and loved me the way I am.  They accepted my weaknesses and encouraged my strengths.  I never felt like they were comparing me against themselves, and I didn't feel the need to compare myself to them.  Where I go to church at right now, there is a group of people who I constantly feel like I am being compared against, so I feel the need to measure up to them, even though it is obvious we have different talents and will never measure up in the same areas. 

Because we are strong in different areas, I feel the need to be strong in every area, and you know as well as I do, it just can’t be done.  I will have weaknesses. I will still fail. I still won’t be the best at everything.  But I cannot let that make me feel like a failure at life.  Those people may never like me.  They may never feel like I measure up to them, but I really shouldn't be seeking their approval anyway. And when I get down to the bottom of the matter, that is exactly what I am doing by comparing. I should be seeking God’s approval and let everyone else have their own feelings.  I should be so focused on God’s opinion that no one else matters if they don’t agree with Him.

Flowers don’t worry about blooming prettier than the flower next to them. They just bloom as pretty as they can. I should be a flower!!!!

So to all you gorgeous flowers out there, Have a wonderful Day!!!!