Comparing Yourself With Others by Laura V. Hilton

Laura V. Hilton

I recently read an email from someone else entitled “10 Good Things That Happen When You Compare Yourself to Someone Else”
1.

Short list, right? And yet that is something that I’m struggling with right now.

Not naming names, but one author got a spot I wanted in a book collection. She is an established author with over forty books published. I felt bad for me, envious of her, especially when she gets contracts handed to her without seeming to try. “I was approached to write…”

And then there is an Indie author, who tried for years to land an agent or editor and get a contract. She wisely decided to go it alone, outsold many traditionally published authors and landed a movie contract. Wow.

Envy. Green-eyed monster alert. I’m definitely comparing myself to others here. And falling fall short. Why am I even trying? I’m not good enough! (insert fake crying sounds)

Not only that but my creativity level has flat-lined.

But God didn’t call me based on my merits. He saw a broken individual who promised her life to Him to serve as He wills. Not as I will. As He wills. And even though I’m not getting movie contracts (which I really don’t want anyway) or getting contracts handed to me without much effort, I am serving Him the way He called me.

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: Philippians 1:15

I don’t want to be the one writing and telling of God’s mercy and grace with envy in my heart. I want to do it with gladness. With joy that He called me.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Psalm 100:2

This is a lesson I’m learning. Not to compare myself with others. To be the writer God called me to be. To be faithful with what He’s given me, and not hiding the talents He blessed me with somewhere they’d be “safe.” To put the words on the computer screen page and write on, trusting He will come through. To find joy.

Are you following the Lord and using the talents He gave you to serve Him? Or are you hiding your gifts because you aren’t as good as someone else?

Lord, help me not to compare myself with others. Help me to follow You without question, without looking at what others are doing, and serve You the way You want me to. Amen

About the Author

Award winning author, Laura Hilton, her husband, Steve, and three of their children make their home in Arkansas. She is a pastor’s wife, a stay-at-home mom and home-schools. Laura is also a breast cancer survivor. Laura also has two adult children.

Her publishing credits include three books in the Amish of Seymour series from Whitaker House: Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts (winner of the 2012 Clash of the Titles Award in two categories), and Promised to Another. The Amish of Webster County series, Healing Love (finalist for the 2013 Christian Retail Awards). Surrendered Love and Awakened Love followed by her first Christmas novel, A White Christmas in Webster County, as well as a three book Amish series with Whitaker House, The Amish of Jamesport series, The Snow Globe, The Postcard in April 2015, and The Bird House in September 2015. Other credits include Swept Away from Abingdon Press. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer.

Connect with Laura
http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q
visit her blogs: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/ &http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Laura_V_Hilton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vernetlh/

The Postcard (from Promised to Another)

David Lapp survived a “code blue” when he was in a buggy/semi truck accident in Seymour, Missouri. Now after extensive therapy he has lingering mobility problems and is still struggling to find his place in the world. Lured away from Webster County by thoughts of closed buggies and a postcard friendship he’s developed with an Amish girl in Jamesport, he moves north, hoping for a fresh start. He finds work in the area tying flies and basket weaving, selling his products in the Amish markets in the Jamesport area.

Rachel Miller dreams of travel, but feels tied to her Amish life. She is being courted by Obadiah Graber, but wonders if there’s more to life. When she sees David’s name mentioned in The Budget, she strikes up a pen pal friendship with David while he’s in the hospital and in therapy, consoling him when he and his girlfriend part ways. She never dreams that David will come north and move into her community. David is still fearful in the buggy, especially in high traffic areas. Feeling he’s called by God to preach, David spends hours in the Bible, but the Amish discourage him, believing their ministers should be drawn by lot. Will David follow his call, even if it takes him out of the Amish church? Will Rachel realize her dream to travel?

God Must Love Them More

Do you ever wonder if God actually has favorites?

Intellectually, we know that’s not true. God loves us all the same.

But there are those times… and I’m guessing we all have them … when we wonder why it seems that some people receive more of his favor than others. 

We may even struggle with why people of no faith seem to receive abundant blessings when those who love and serve God barely make ends meet. Where is the justice? It doesn’t feel fair when co-workers or neighbors who are non-believers take trips to Europe, buy new cars, or purchase cabins on the lake when the faithful go without extras so they can tithe back to the Lord. 

In our personal writing journeys, we may have moments when we question why one writer gets a contract after pursuing publication after two years when another has worked hard for ten and continues to receive rejections. Or why one author gets a much larger advance than another.

Our envy … our questioning God’s love for us … robs us of our joy. As we compare our blessings—or what we perceive to be the lack of—we can begin to sound and feel like whiners. We look like children complaining, “Dad loves you more.” 

Instead of looking at all we’ve been given, we focus on what we don’t have. But as a Psalm states, that can change. “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” (Psalm 30:11 NIV).

The reasons behind why some are blessed more than others may never be explained in this lifetime. We may have to wait years to get that coveted publishing contract, great reviews, and large advances while friends seem to keep moving ahead of us down the road. 

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV 

Our job is to trust God’s love for us … his timing and knowledge of what is best for us … and wait, patiently.

Listen to the song “While I’m Waiting” by John Waller and enjoy …

~ Dawn

Struggle with Envy?

Thursdays - Dawn's Devotions for Writers

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house;

you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male

servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey,

nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Exodus 20:17 NIV)

Do you ever struggle with being envious of fellow writers?

Don’t fib! I think we all struggle with it at one time or another. We’re human. We may envy another writer’s talent, their agent, their fans – even the amount of attention they receive on Facebook! LOL!

We may want to be supportive and celebrate with other writers when they get a three-book deal, or even their first contract. But if we’re not experiencing the same success at the moment, our heart may experience a few twinges. We might even become a bit down and question, “Why not me?” And then in order to make ourselves feel better, find ways to criticize their work.

I attend large writers conferences. One in particular holds two contests. The first is for unpublished authors, and the other is for book of the year. Of course each person who reaches the finals desires to have their book or manuscript win. A personal sense of satisfaction comes with awards, as well as some notoriety. But not everyone can win. How easy it could be for the non-winners to covet the prize and question why they weren’t chosen.

In Exodus we read that we’re not to covet ANYTHING that is our neighbor’s. That includes any type of success others may experience.

God understands our weaknesses. He understands our heart. He also asks us to trust His will and plans for our lives, as well as our fellow writers’ lives.

When you feel envy attempting to find a way into your heart and mind, call on God. Ask Him to give you a spirit of celebration for others. He’ll answer.

Dawn