Dare NOT to compare

An article I read shortly before Mother's Day emphasized remembering those who would be sorrowing not celebrating. Sorrowing because of children they didn't/ could not have, ones lost to death or estrangement. It mentioned how hard it can be for us to rejoice or mourn with others as we are clearly told to do by the Lord.

Never cares or compares self to others. 

In thinking about this I find the problem comes not when I rejoice or mourn with others but when I take another step and start comparing my life. Comparing to those mourning causes me guilt for the blessings I have while comparing my life to those rejoicing often causes me to start to envy.

To truly rejoice and mourn with others I find I need to keep my mind on the Lord, viewing the situation through His eyes and with His heart helps me to maintain focus on others and remember that it really is not all about me.

A second thought helping me to 'Dare NOT to compare' - I do not compare fair. I compare what I know about my life [which is a lot] to the small parts I know about the lives of others. This  can go one of two ways depending on the situation. Either I compare my faults to those who appear to have things all together, or I compare my successes to other's failures. Either way, this is not fair as I do not know the other person's whole story. I'm judging without all the facts.

Example: I set goals for my day. I know I need to say 'no' sometimes. I know that this season of my life my job title consists primarily as Eli and Anna's teacher and secondarily book translator/compiler. Most of the time at the end of the day-I've completed a full day. Reached many goals. But some days I start to compare myself to other missionaries or doctors because of an article, blog or devotional. Then suddenly my healthy margin starts to sound like laziness. I start to worry and fret [in other words comparing for me leads to sinning].

Refocus. Remind myself how my life looked when extremely busy doing 'good works'. How my marriage and family paid the price of a grumpy me due to sleepless nights and days controlled by urgent business. How I did not serve with a heart of love but with grinding teeth and resentful attitude.

So a new goal in life: Dare Not to compare.

The Lord made me unique. The only me in the world made for a role that only I can fill. I touch lives in a way that only I can. I need to focus on being the best me I can be. God loves me. I need to focus on His love and His voice and not compare my self to His other unique children.