If you read many home magazine, watch HGTV, or follow social media groups which focus on home decoration and style, you might feel as if your home falls flat.
A distortion of reality can come from comparing ourselves or what we have to others. We can see this distortion in the way young girls and women compare themselves to what social media sets up as the standard for beauty. They can become discouraged and feel as if they have to starve themselves or have surgery to be beautiful. In reality God sets the standard for beauty and it begins in the heart.
How do you feel about your home? Have you found yourself comparing your home to what others have set as the standard? Do you look around and feel as if it isn't beautiful or good enough?
Your home is a gift from God. It is a beautiful gift, given to you and your family.
Imagine gifting one of your children a car. You are pleased with them and you want them to be happy. You spend some time picking it out. You know it isn’t new. It isn’t top of the line. It even has a few dents here and there. But it fits their needs. You believe in your child and you know they will take care of it. The maintenance it will need over the years to come fits within their budget. It is the perfect car for that particular child.
Your child runs outside with the keys in his hand, ready to jump in and start the engine. He is excited and can’t wait to show his friends. He comes home from school and seems to have lost that enthusiasm. His friends have convinced him the car isn’t good enough. It isn’t the right make, the right model, or the right color. He now wants you to buy him something better. He wants a car that will fit the expectations of others.
How would you feel? How do you think God feels when we look at our home and tell ourselves it isn’t good enough? It isn't big enough to host a gathering. It isn't pretty enough to have our friends over. It isn't updated and we are embarrassed to host a wedding shower for our friend from church.
There comes a time when we have to tune out the noise. We have to stop listening to the voices saying we aren’t good enough, our home isn’t good enough, our car isn’t good enough.
We need to be grateful for the blessings we have. We should acknowledge those blessings and let God know we appreciate them.
While there is nothing wrong with updating your home, doing so should be about the needs of your family and not feelings of inadequacy.
When updating choose those things which will stay within your budget.
Ask for guidance in prayer.
Focus on how your home could better serve the needs of all members of the family.
Join budget friendly groups.
It is important to remember our homes are a reflection of our family. Homes with children might have a more informal look. There is nothing wrong with this. Children are a blessing. Our homes should fit their needs as well as those of the adults who live within it.
Yes, having lots of storage for all the toys and books would be nice. If it fits within your budget to invest in that type of storage, great. If not, a few laundry baskets can help with the clutter.
It is time for us all to remember social media can play a huge role in how we see ourselves and the blessings we have been given. If you have a roof over your head and food on your table, you have been greatly blessed. If you have children who are able to play hard and make a mess while doing so, your blessings abound. Remember to give thanks to your Father in heaven.
Tune out the noise.
Focus on the blessings and not on what others think.
Tune into a grateful attitude and recognize what you have.
Don't compare your blessings to those of others.
Think about that feeling you get when one of your children is truly grateful for something you have done for them or a gift you have given them. That is how God feels about you when you are truly grateful for the things He does for you and the gifts He gives to you.
When we learn to be grateful for our blessings and share those blessings with others, we might be surprised by the many blessings that follow.
How do you use your home to bless others? Leave a comment.
Cherish the Journey!
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