Sandy and Terry, two college roommates, couldn't be more different in their upbringing and outlook on life.
Sandy, hailing from a family of hardworking farmers, learned the value of resilience and responsibility at a young age. Despite the challenges of scarcity and financial strain, Sandy's determination shone through as she shouldered the burden of helping her family improve their farm's productivity. Through her grit and dedication, she emerged as a beacon of strength and decisiveness.
In contrast, Terry grew up in a world of privilege, her family's success stemming from her father's rise from a humble grocery store assistant to the owner of a chain of supermarkets. Surrounded by comfort and luxury, Terry enjoyed a life of ease and indulgence. However, beneath the facade of wealth, she grappled with feelings of emptiness and insecurity, even having feelings of envy towards Sandy's groundedness and work ethic.
Both Sandy and Terry found themselves caught in a cycle of comparison and therefore struggled to find contentment. Sandy, despite her many talents and blessings, couldn't help but feel inadequate compared to Terry's apparent success. Similarly, Terry, despite her privileged upbringing, longed for the sense of purpose and fulfillment that Sandy seemed to embody.
Comparing oneself to another person only leads to feelings of inadequacy and hinders personal growth."
They recognized the toxic effects this was having on their friendship and both sought counseling. Through this they learned that true happiness comes from embracing our own unique journey and recognizing the gifts they individually possessed. Instead of fixating on the other person, both Sandy and Terry began to appreciate and cultivate their own strengths and blessings.
Great opportunities to grow are at our fingertips. If only we would set our mind on being grateful for what we do have, keeping our eyes fixed on the opportunities given to us and learning to walk out our unique giftings in such a way that build better outcomes.
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
James 3:16
"But godliness with contentment is great gain."
1 Timothy 6:6 NIV
Drs. JM & Anita Arrunategui / Canva pro/Excerpt: Drs. JM & Anita Arrunategui / Canva pro/
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