There is More Than Enough to Go Around

I've heard it said, "Comparison is the thief of joy." I would have to agree. This morning as I was doing my stretch routine I was reminded of this principle while listening to my daily devotional and the Pastor was talking about how when we compare ourselves to others, it is more ofthen than not within our own "group".

For example more often than not, men compare themselves to other men while women compare themselves to other women. Women in their 40s compare themselves to other women in their 40s. Even more specifically, women in their 40s married with children tend to compare themselves to other women in their 40s who are also married with children... you see where I am going with this?

He mentioned Pastors do not usually compare themselves to businessmen, actors to plumbers, so on and so forth. In our quest for the Ultimate Balance of the Universe (good luck!) we find ourselves comparing ourselves to others on the same scale as us with the underlying belief that God has a finite measure of resources and if He has gifted someone else with more talent, luck, fortune, or resources then there must be "less for me". This balance we subconsciously seek ends up becoming a negative narrative loop pattern which states, "That person has more, which means there must be less for me."

BAKING WITH JESUS HITS DIFFERENT

Have you ever attempted to bake a cake? There is this moment in cake baking where you have to measure out the flour and in so doing some of the flour often falls out of the bag, spills over the cup or flurries to the ground from the side of the open container. Do you stress to put it back?

Does that little bit when it lands outside your bowl determine your happiness and the success of your desired outcome, or are you too focused thinking of that bite of warm gooey cake you don't even consider the mess you are making? As a matter of fact, at the end of your baking you will more than likely sweep up, wipe away and clean any bits of flour left behind. The situation? There was plenty of flour to begin with. You wouldn't have even attempted to bake a cake if there was no flour to begin with.

WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN MORE THAN ENOUGH - JESUS IS ALL THE "FLOUR" YOU WILL EVER NEED

The next time you find yourself comparing your situation with another person (social media is great at presenting us with opportunities to compare ourselves) consider these factors:

• You are drawn to compare yourself to others who are "like" you - therefore you have more in common with them than you realize.

• You have all the resources you need - Just like in the cake scenario, the Lord would never give you the vision for a yummy gooey cake, without first making sure you had all the ingredients. If you feel as if you are lacking something in the recipe - head back to the Word and seek Him to find out where you might be missing it. The "flour" is probably just in a cupboard you haven't checked yet. Trust me, it's there.

• Comparison leads to jealousy - There is no need to be jealous of someone else who you admire. Celebrate their wins! There is more than enough "flour" to go around!

WE SERVE A MORE THAN ENOUGH GOD

"The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills." 2 Chronicles 1:15

"Moses said to them, “It is the bread (manna) the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take a (measure) for each person you have in your tent.’”

¹⁷ The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. ¹⁸ And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

¹⁹ Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

²⁰ However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them." Exodus 16:17-20

Holy Spirit-

It is so easy for us to compare ourselves to one another, always seeking balance in a topsy turvy world. It feels as if we are not standing on solid ground! Remind me today Lord that Your Son is the solid ground we all need and require and there is no balance outside of Him. When You encourage us to sow and reap it is NEVER because we will get the same exact measure that we put in. You always super size and exceedingly abundantly bless us. When we plant an apple seed, an apple doesn't grow out of the ground - an APPLE TREE grows, and when we are patient and consider the time it takes to grow that tree, we begin to understand how Your Kingdom operates. Things take time, we are further along in the process than we think. You are good and your timing is PERFECT.

With all my heart and in Jesus' Name - AMEN

-Jessicah

On the agenda today:

• Enjoy the trip

• Drink some coffee

• Go for a walk outside and see the horses with the kids

• Maybe a little shopping ;)

• Quilt some Carriage Blanket squares - maybe create a poll to ask what everyone prefers "Carriage Blanket or Motorcar Blanket"

About the Author: Jessica Heilman is Co-Founder, Designer and Writer for 15Evergreen.com. You can learn more about her as well as her daughter Madeline, their ministry work and their company by clicking this link: ABOUT US