Keeping up with the Joneses

I couldn’t sleep so I decided to write, which seems to be pretty stereotypical of a night shifter that I’m up in the wee hours of the morning. Anyways, over this past couple of weeks I have had the constant influx of what it feels like to try to get ahead of everyone. In this stage of life it always feels like I'm not doing enough. Everyone is getting something new or the next best thing, or even one step ahead in life and for me it feels like I’m being left behind. It feels like the common phrase “Keeping up with the Joneses”. Now don’t get me wrong people deserve to move forward with their lives, but I selfishly want the same thing for myself. Casey and I both have mentioned how exhausting this type of belief is; that you have to constantly have the next best thing. My goal for myself is to be content with what I have. Now this is easier said than done, but thankfully I don't have to look far to see what I have to be thankful for.

That the small quiet life that I want is not going to satisfy. I think that this translates to my faith too. The devil tells me that if I’m not the next Lysa Terkurst than my writing means nothing. If the church that you go to isn’t the size of elevation than it’s not enough. This is so wrong and is such a lie from the enemy. God has given you a mission to empower, lift up, and teach those around you about Jesus. I don’t have to go to LA to make a difference when someone right across the street needs to know how much God loves them. Casey and I go to a little church in Lincolnton with an amazing pastor. He spoke one Sunday about the passage from Luke 14 where a man was giving a large banquet but no one showed up. He told his servants to go into the highways and the hedges to find people to fill those seats. It’s the same way with church! Fill the seats no matter what it looks like, go out and support each other when they need it. The church isn't just a stagnant building that we only go to on Sundays. It's a group of people that are prepared with the armor of God to fight to win over his lost sheep.

Comparison will never bring any joy to your life and will always tear down what you've tried so hard to build. You're never going to get anywhere with this, but I'm grateful to have a savior that doesn't compare me to anyone else but calls me His own regardless of if I write or speak well. I want to pray for contentment in my life that steams from Christ. I don't need the shiniest things, I just want my seat at church to be taken by someone who needs to be there. So don't keep up, instead go out of your way to be kind and spread the love of the Lord today because that's enough, regardless of what the world tells you. 

May the peace and love of God be with you always,

Leah Carpenter Hagaman