Oops, I Did It Again

Oops, I Did It Again

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Oh baybay, baaybay.

You know that constant, nagging voice that keeps telling you; "you're not cool enough, you haven't been to enough places, you're not pretty enough, funny enough, smart enough, etc"? Maybe it's just me. But I've read enough magazine covers and watched enough YouTube beauty tutorials to know that you probably hear that voice in the back of your head, too.

We live in a culture of comparison. I'm quick to admit that I'm easily party to it. Somebody will say; "I'd love to go to _________." I'll reply, "Oh yeah? Well when I was there a few months ago I climbed a freakin mountain. Check out these gnarly pics!" You did something? I've got news for you honey -- I already did it. And better. And my concealer didn't even crease under the pressure!

Does that sound like you? 

I've got a picture in my room (technically it's in storage wrapped in oodles of plastic bags right now - I'm heading to school for the first time on monday) that says "Kill the urge to say something about yourself when others say something personal." One thing I learned a long time ago is nothing destroys your witness quite like making it the Beth Show. Yeah, God is changing me, but it's not because I benevolently show him what I think needs improvement. It's because I have no choice but to surrender myself to his perfect molding every day, in order to survive. I'm not kidding.

I have had a lot of struggles in my life. More recently I've had a lot of triumphs. It's God's grace, wisdom, and constant "taking me down a peg" via conviction, scripture, or fellow believers that reminds me my life is not about me. I have a purpose so far beyond just writing motivational pieces or perfecting my winged liner. But when I shift my eyes for a second and bask in my own glory, the ugly voice of comparison knocks me out, and suddenly I'm in bed eating cookie dough with greasy hair - all ideas of calling the girl who needs a friend, helping out with the church program, or having personal one-on-one time with my Saviour go out the window. 

Comparison culture only does two things - makes you feel temporarily good by bringing somebody else down, or makes you feel like a nice, steaming piece of crap. Perfect. 💩 

Seriously, though, the only way to stop the poison of comparison is to shift your eyes on the One who sees who you really are. Without comparison to anybody. And loves you unconditionally despite of it! That's an incredible truth. God isn't comparing you to Becky with the Good Hair who serves in sunday school every week, or your pastor's wife, or me, or any other human being for that matter. God isn't afraid of what he'll find. 

1 John 4:16 says; "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." That's incredible. I got a bit of a shiver just typing that out. The chapter goes on to mention that if you love God but hate "your brother", you don't really love God. Could we apply that to how we feel about ourselves? If you hate or are discontent with who you are, what does that say about your relationship with God? Are you letting him use you to your full potential? Or are you letting comparison culture win and keep you from the joy, hope and peace that's waiting for you. You are worthy of love. Not for what you do, not for what you've done, not for who you compare yourself to - you are worthy of the love of your Saviour just by the fact you were breathed into existence. 

Let's go out today with a purpose of grace - and kick comparison right in the butt as we do it.