games

last night I stayed up too late (er, early? it was morning- oops)
& realized that I was playing the game.

What game you ask?


Well, I'll tell ya.

The comparing game.

Have you ever played it?
It's the one where you try, and try, and try, but you lose every time.

By comparing yourself to what others are/have/do, you only feel worse and worse about yourself.
And if you're a girl, I bet you've played it a lot.
These games are quite natural for girls to fall into.
And if you're a guy- how did you get to my little blog?

Something that I've been having to learn over the past year is that humans are God's creations.
We are made in his image.
Therefore, since all other people are made in God's image, since everyone has God's mark on their lives,
I need to treat everyone as such.

I need to talk to,
think about,
treat,
act towards,
make friends with,
have opinions about,
and love
people like they're made in God's image.

For me, this changes things. When I realize ev.er.y. single person on earth is a carbon copy of God, if you will,
I can't just keep living towards others the same.


Also, after reading my Bible study book this week, I realized that {the same is true for myself.}
Here's what got me thinking:

"If God, is the Creator of all things, who has given us life? Elohim, of course! And why were we created? For Him! You are a unique creation of God, one of a kind, created for His glory. He 'didst form my inward parts.' He 'didst weave me in my mother's womb....I am fearfully and wonderfully made' (Psalm 139:13-14). Have you ever thought of yourself as being fearfully and wonderfully made? Or do you look at yourself and despise what Elohim has created?"

If everyone is made in the image of God, and I have to live & treat others like that is true,
then I need to live & treat myself like that too.

When I start playing the comparing game and decide what I don't like about myself, what I should be, or how I'm failing,
I am despising what Elohim has created.

In essence,
I'm telling God that what he made (me), isn't good, isn't right, and isn't lovely.
But that isn't true!
God made me (just like everyone else), in HIS stinkin IMAGE!
That should be enough.
That should be it.
That should be final.


So why don't I live like it?
One thought: I'm not proactive.

When I feel myself slipping into the game, I jump right in, and play for awhile.
I am actively letting Satan invade my thoughts, mind, and heart.

I give him the reigns of my mind and let my heart willingly follow into thoughts of jealousy, harboring envy and coveting what my neighbors have.


So.

Here's to tomorrow!
Here's to a changed life!
Here's to not playing the same-old-boring-controlling-sinful-disgusting game!

Here's to looking at God's creation, and thinking just what he does,

this is {very good} !

and the proof: here, here, here, and here!