Streams of Comfort

I think that we often compare ourselves to others because its the only way we have found to measure happiness. It gives us a concrete way to decipher our well-being. Even if it is inaccurate in the long run. As you read this poem I hope that you are encouraged to look to Jesus for a better way if you struggle with comparison.

I have heard this advice often in motivational speeches and writings,
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!”
This saying was refreshing to my ears back then,
As it pumped up my heart with the excitement of finding contentment.
But pray tell,
Why did no one give advice on where to find sugar?
Life is sure to produce lemons but sugar is also needed to make lemonade.

Some time ago I took matters into my own hands,
And went out to search for sugar so I could make lemonade as advised.
While searching I found that smiles and laughter did not last long enough,
Giving the lemonade a watery taste,
Friendships and kinship sometimes turned sour,
Overpowering any sweetness they provided,
And after much trial and error,
I finally found something so sweet and comforting,
So natural that I couldn’t resist it,
Comparison.
It provided just the right balance of sweetness and tartness,
That quenched my thirst,
But I must admit,
I wasn’t prepared for its bitter aftertaste.

The warm feeling produced from doing better than someone else,
The warmth that spreads through your chest and temporarily relieves your troubled mind,
The thought that whispers,
“I think I’m ok, because I am doing better than that person.”
That’s the sugar I put in my lemonade.
It tasted perfect,
But the aftertaste was unhappiness,
Because with each consecutive drink,
Came the greater realization that there was always someone doing better.

I became addicted to the taste even though my unhappiness grew,
Because temporary satisfaction was better than none at all.
And this was the happiness I could achieve in my own power,
Or so I thought,
Until bitterness was no longer just the aftertaste.
And so I called out to God,
Because what I had was no longer sugar but a bitter toxin,
And he gave me living water instead.

What is the living water I was given?
The Holy Spirit,
The key to living in joy and freedom no matter the circumstances.
The sweetness of comparison fades away overtime,
But the life that the Spirit gives to those who believe in Jesus,
Remains forever.
So when life gives you lemons,
Resist the urge to make lemonade,
And pray to God to refresh your soul with living water.