Apples and Oranges

I was texting a friend early one morning, as I enjoyed my coffee in relative silence. Later that morning, I was struck by how different our daily lives are.

Half of my daughters were still sleeping. The other half were carrying out their morning chores, watching Little House on the Prairie, and making their own breakfasts. When I woke up and felt a bit off from sinus pressure, I stayed in bed for a bit as the dizziness passed. After my coffee, I went to my room to do a quick workout without anyone even really batting an eye. They all just kept going with their morning responsibilities, for the most part.

My friend, on the other hand, woke up intentionally early just to enjoy a quiet home for a bit. She was soon swept away with cranky morning toddlers and diapers and wiping faces and guiding little ones through their morning chores. Pictures of oatmeal smeared baby faces were texted to me, as I was checking in with my oldest before she left for her college class.

Our lives are literally as different as apples and oranges.

I realized that it would have been very easy for me to be a bit melancholy after hearing of my friend's crazy morning. Gone are my mornings that were filled with little toddler feet running down the hall or after breakfast baths due to self-inflicted oatmeal facials. It would be just as easy for her to feel a bit jealous at my easygoing morning and older children that are capable of fending for themselves, for the most part.

What good would it do though?
Can I get those days full of rowdy little girls back?
Can she wish away potty training?
Nope.

What it does do, however, is create an atmosphere of discontentment, disappointment, and more. If we are constantly looking, trying, wishing for something more - then we are believing that God isn't wise enough to give us exactly what we need and to put us where we are needed. When we compare our lives to others and our lives come up lacking, we can feel shorted by God.

Her five year old can read.
Her husband changes diapers all the time.
They seem to always have everything work out for them.

Thoughts like this give the enemy of your soul ammunition to build a wall between you and God. By thinking that somehow God must like them more and that must be why their life looks so easy, you are thinking that God doesn't love you as much. God shows no partiality. What He does do, if we will listen to His leading, is put us in the places that He needs us. With the children He wants us to raise.

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

James 2:1

If we know that each person is uniquely created, why are we so surprised when every family is unique? We can learn from one another. We can be inspired by one another. But we cannot grow closer to God and understand His will for our lives if we are trying to be anyone but ourselves. Your life will never look exactly like hers. And that's exactly how God designed it! Because He didn't create her to live your life. He created you, gifted you, and will strengthen you to live the life He has for you. The key is trusting Him with your life and believing that He will guide you through it.

If you tend to compare your life to others and feel like everyone else has figured out some grand secret that you haven't - take time to pray for God to help you see the blessings in your life. To see where He wants you to serve others - and that includes the people that live under your roof! Pray that He would open your eyes to see His hand on your life and trust that it always will be.