Wow. What a powerful reminder for me. I often struggle comparing myself, my life, my job, my marriage, my looks, weight, height - you name it! And this quote is absolutely right; instead of encouraging me to grow in love and contentment with the blessings the Lord has given me, I find myself often looking around, wondering why I don't have what others have. What a way to rob myself and those I love of joy!
I read this quote in a blog post on Christianity Today's blog, Hermeneutics, and the author, Karen Swallow Prior, went on to reference a beautiful poem by Christina Rossetti, "In the Bleak Midwinter." Here's what she says about the poem and this idea of "stealing joy:"
"Rossetti’s poem has much to teach us about the overflowing nature of a loving God and the honor of worshiping him with the gifts that are most essential to our very being, to the selves God created us to be.
Yet we have a tendency —especially as women, I think —to recognize the gifts of others more readily than we recognize our own gifts. Likewise, it is also easier sometimes to value the gifts others are blessed with more than our own."
She continues by saying that the very best Christmas gift we can give is "the gift of ourselves, the gift of who we are in Christ, who God created us to be." An interesting idea to think about as I head into the new year.
Annie Lenox performs "In the Bleak Midwinter"
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