“I’m unsubscribing to her blog! I can’t take reading about her wonderful boyfriend, her wonderful job, her wonderful hair, and her wonderful life any longer! Reading about her life makes me realize more and more how NOT wonderful my life is.”
I overheard a conversation the other day in which the reply consisted of reminding this girl that her life is good: “Look where you are and what you get to experience!”
But, that reminder was not enough. Looking back, this is what I wish I would have said.
I’ve been there, wishing you were living someone else’s life. Their life seems perfect on the outside, but they are probably dealing with stuff, or they may be experiencing a moment in life when everything lines up, and they feel as if they are living the life God created them for. Either way, I can guarantee their good life is not being lived while looking at the lives of others wishing they were somewhere else, doing something else, being someone else.
We all know those few people that are living out their God-given passions in life, causing others to be drawn to them. You just want to be around them, to soak up their goodness, joy, and wisdom.
The woman I am thinking of went through a lot to get there. She did not just wake up one day and all the sudden begin to walk out her true identity in the Lord. She went through different times of backing away and denial, healing and grief, receiving freedom, and asking for help.
[our first day of college in our beanies!]
She was my first college roommate. We were in the same group of friends from middle school through high school, but we were never close until college. Our sophomore year she started attending a church that focused on ‘the weird stuff.’ You know: prophecy, speaking in tongues, healing. The stuff that was a little too charismatic for me at that time (although now these make up my everyday life). This church encouraged her to break down walls that had been up for years and finally grieve the death of her father amongst other things.
We were both busy and didn’t see much of each other for about a year, but when I did see her, I knew something was different; she glowed. Every story she told gave glory to God and I was either in tears, had goosebumps, or in complete disbelief at what she just shared. Her hurtful sarcasm was no more, and was replaced by thoughtful encouragement.
[freshman year halloween]
I think about her a lot on the race, and sometimes ask myself “how would Natalie handle this situation.” I remember being in Zimbabwe during month one of the race texting her if she’s ever fell out when someone was praying for her. Her reply calmed me down and reminded me that there was so much in store for me to experience on the race!
Every time we part ways I leave thinking, “Wow, God! What a transformation you have done in her life!” She is so in love with Jesus, and it’s so noticeable. She’s a second grade teacher, and she gives everything she has to her students. She tells them about Jesus and shows them His love everyday.
When people are drawn and attracted to her, they are actually attracted to Jesus living inside her.
Let’s not look at people who exude Jesus and think “I wish I were her.” Instead, let’s look inside our hearts and ask Jesus to show us our passions and how we can use our God-given abilities to bring Him glory. The moment we envy what God has gifted someone else with is the moment our eyes are no longer fixed on Jesus, for comparison is the thief of joy.
