There are always times when we look at our lives or maybe ourselves and wish they were different; circumstances, relationships, job, house, possessions, appearance; you may be able to think of other areas. But be careful in it not to wish yourself away.
CS Lewis in his book The Dawn Tredder from the Chronicles of Narnia Series, uses the phrase when one of the main characters Lucy wants to be, in her eyes, as beautiful as she sees her elder sister. In the book Aslan, who represents Jesus, shows Lucy the danger of such wishes in a dream and that the fulfilment of this wish would see in reality that Lucy herself no longer exists but becomes her older sister Susan. Lucy understandably changes her thought process and wish.
I think we can very often wish or covet for things to be how, on appearance, other people’s lives and circumstances are. But the grass isn’t always greener even when it looks to be, the reality is someone elses lawn will have weeds and cutting of its own to do. I love the phrase, who knows what goes on behind closed doors, what can often appear perfect on the outside can be very different on the inside – like picking a coffee chocolate thinking it a truffle!!
What I’m trying to say is there is a place of contentment we can find with ourselves and our circumstances that involves us. Where we don’t wish to be someone else or have their lives but we see the good in our lives and circumstances, find the joy to be had through them and become content.
When I was younger I had a poster on my wall and it read “God loves you just the way you are but too much to let you stay that way” I think this is a great balance for learning to be happy with yourself and your circumstances but also not stopping in that place but looking to keep growing, developing, changing to improve your circumstances, relationship and yourself where you are able to.
Don’t wish yourself away, learn to be content and look to grow into all you hope and dream for…
