It seems when God has something to say He says it over and over until a person takes notice. This same message has cropped up repeatedly in recent weeks. Stacy Macdonald's article helped pull it together. She speaks of those fears that tend to strike in the night, causing us to doubt both ourselves and the One who strengthens us:
Then I idolize my friends and their families. I think about others who seem to have it all together and I dwell on how I will never measure up – then anxiety comes.
I have seen articles advising women to focus on their own work, versus coveting another's, but she points out that our own work is still the wrong place to fix our gaze. How much better to turn away from both our work and others' and focus on Jesus and His grace instead as advised in Ps 119:
Turn your eyes from looking at worthless things and give me life in your ways.
Keeping our homes and carrying for others' are not worthless (nor less spiritual) tasks but using those things as a yardstick to measure our worth most definitely is.
Starry Sky Journal 
This was definitely something that I needed to hear. It’s something I do all the time. I wonder how others can seem to have it so together and I can’t seem to get anything right. My husband always tells me that people only let you see what they want you to see and they might not be as perfect as they seem either. That helps me to retrain my focus on where it needs to be. We all have different purposes and that is what we need to focus on. It really helps to be reminded, though, because it’s easy to fall back into that same old thinking.
Ha, ha. I know this is not a funny post Kim, but honestly, it is SO true! I always fall way short when looking at almost everyone else. God has us where we need to be with the people who need us the most. Looking at others and their seemingly perfect lives only distracts us from our family and duties and our own crosses. God gives us what we need to improve ourselves, and honestly you do a great job! Kiss that baby for us 🙂
It’s a complicated balance to keep sometimes! But, it’s so helpful to be made mindful of it so we can recognize when the scales are tipping too far one way or another! It’s so good to read things like this that remind us. &:o) Thanks for sharing this!
(Something waiting for you over at my place, btw! &;o)
It’s a complicated balance to keep sometimes! But, it’s so helpful to be made mindful of it so we can recognize when the scales are tipping too far one way or another! It’s so good to read things like this that remind us. &:o) Thanks for sharing this!
(Something waiting for you over at my place, btw! &;o)
The truth is that our worth is infinite–we are children of God, and our Savior valued us enough to die for us. Anytime we try to measure our worth, whatever yarstick we may use, we are working off of the false premise that somehow our worth will increase or decrease in accordance with what we do.
I am actually starting a new meme called Quest for Simplicity, dedicated to simplifying our lives so we can focus on the things we truely value. If you would like to participate please stop by my blog.
Hello Paula,
Thanks for sharing Stacy’s words with us. I have been enjoying reading through your blog for some time now so I thought I would tell you about a homesteading, emergency preparedness, and survival forum that I am a member of, http://www.PreparedSociety.com. It has a ton of great information on simple and frugal living, green living, financial insight, gardening, livestock, food storage, natural health and medicine, and much more!
I’m sure the members of the forum would love to hear from you! It’s free and easy to sign up.
Hope to see you there!
God Bless!
Jack
http://www.PreparedSociety.com