The Junk Food Called Comparison {Nourish Your Soul: Day 7}

Author

Brianna R Wasson
October 07, 2014

I sit down to write, and my heart is excited for what I am doing and how I know I’m right where God wants me today.

I am finding my groove after my time away. It’s good.

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So I sit down at the table, type in the password and open up my email before setting sail on today’s blogpost. I find no less than 193 messages awaiting my click in my primary inbox (don’t judge; no haters here) and who knows how many in the other two tabs that I rarely open and actually check.

Among them I find an invitation from a friend to Like a Facebook page. So I click the link and find the page before heading to the website it represents. When I get to the website, I find a whole bunch of followers and wonder at its author.

So I check the About page and find familiar faces filling the contributors’ list. Colleagues with blogs similar to mine, and I find my heart catch on what feels like a hook as I scroll down the page.

Why was I not chosen for this? My heart feels like crying. Why can’t I put words here too? I recognize my envy as soon as it catches me, so I kick myself under the table.

Because I’ve had this conversation at least 438 times. The one where I tell God I think He should do things differently where my writing is concerned, and then He leads me to His truth that tells me to be faithful with what He’s given — no matter the size. The truth that reminds me I was not created for fame, I was created for Him. The truth that says that I am enough and He has way better plans than any I could think up.

But the hook keeps on jabbing, and I can’t shake it off, so I get on my knees with my face in my palms, and I offer it up again to my God. Open hands that give Him these words, those thoughts, this open wound.

I stand up, go back to the computer, and logoff of Facebook before starting to write about food for the soul and how Jesus fills us up.

The truth is, I find comparison to be like a candy-coated rocks when it comes to food that my soul wants to eat. It looks pretty from far away but once I get hooked, it’s impossible to chew. Like break-your-jaw-and-your-teeth kind of hard.

And it does absolutely nothing to satisfy my soul. In fact, it only leaves pain from the chewing I tried to do. Pain and broken teeth.

My soul only needs to remember what God did when He gave me this life, this grace, this Bria-shaped assignment. The truth of His grace lavished all over my me that wants nothing more than to delight over me just because I’m me.

And this remembering is the nourishment no candy needs to coat. Because all that I need is in Almighty God Himself. All my soul needs is the real food that is Jesus Christ.

A question for you: What is something God has created you to do? Is it plant flowers? Hug children? Leave comments on my blog? Tell us in the comments.

**This is the seventh of a 31-day series called Nourish Your Soul. Wanna’ catch up? Here’s what we’ve talked about so far . . .