Comparison vs. Joy This Christmas Season

I am honored to welcome one of the kindest and most gracious bloggers I know to Serenity Now today. My friend Richella from Imparting Grace agreed to share with us about how comparison during the holidays can rob us of joy. I asked her to talk about something that any busy reader might be inspired by, and she really came through!

Please help me welcome Richella to Serenity Now today.

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"Joy to the world!" rings the sound from the CD player. The Christmas season is upon us, and my heart swells at the sound of every carol.

I find myself wishing that I could sustain those feelings. I want the joy of Christmas to pervade every part of my life. Yet as I sit at my computer and browse through all the beautiful images, I feel my joy fade.

I see the beautifully decorated houses, and my own home seems plain and boring by comparison. I get a glimpse of heartwarming family celebrations, and in comparison I feel cold and disconnected. I click through photos of amazing crafts that someone created, and my efforts seem pitiful by comparison.

Even the good things I do seem to pale in comparison to others' work. I hear that someone has raised thousands of dollars for a charity, and my gifts seem paltry by comparison. I try to make Christmas merry for my kids, but then I read about the piles of gifts that some parents provide, and I feel stingy in comparison.  Or else I read that some parents give their children only three gifts, and in comparison I feel extravagant and embarrassed. 

Suddenly I realize that I'm doing this to myself. I'm comparing myself to others at every turn. Instead of gathering holiday inspiration online, I've gathered reasons to feel inadequate. Rather than embracing the beauty of the season, I've turned it into a kind of competition.  

Am I the only one? Or have you done it, too?

There must be an alternative to the endless comparison game, and I think it's found in gratitude and blessing. If I concentrate on being grateful for what I have, there won't be much time or energy left for concentrating on what I don't have. Filled with gratitude for my blessings, this year I am choosing to pray for others instead of comparing myself to them. This Christmas, every time I am tempted to compare myself to someone else, I'm going to stop and pray this simple prayer:

"Dear Lord, please bless ___________ with her beautiful ____________. Thank you for giving her beauty to share.  And please help me to share the beauty you've given me."

That's it. Nothing profound or deep; just a simple prayer of blessing. But I think its effect on me might be profound.  

This Christmas, rather than concentrating on how other people outshine me, I'm going to remember that we all shine because God has given us light. If someone shines more brightly than I do, that's okay. There's much darkness to overcome.  Someone else's bright light doesn't eliminate the need for my little light.   

There's plenty of room for all of us to shine our lights, 

reflecting the glory of the One whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.  

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Thank you, Richella! Your words were the perfect start to this series. What a fantastic reminder to focus on thankfulness this Christmas.

I hope you'll take a moment to leave some comment love for Richella today. What do you struggle with during the holidays?

Imparting Grace is a delightful mix of home, family, and faith. Richella's posts are uplifting, encouraging, and a breath of fresh air. Be sure to visit her and say hello! She's also running a Christmas celebration link party this year, Home for the Holy Days. Be sure to link up on Monday, December 17th, and share some ways you keep Christ at the center of your Christmas!

Stay tuned for more Christmas-themed posts and projects this Christmas season in my Season of Serenity at Home series.

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