Last week, in The Grass is Always Greener, Part 1, we saw that the greener grass mentality is thoroughly engrained in our human nature and is at the root of every sin known to man. But is there any other reasons for avoiding this mentality?
I fell into the “Greener Grass” mentality rather early in life. I took to looking at other people and wanting what they had: Popularity, status, a boyfriend, a perfect figure, tanned skin, curly hair, the best grades, and the list could go on. It didn’t help when someone rather important in my life began pointing out all of my physical faults and faults of personality.
What did it all get for me?
First of all, it made me go out with the first boy who showed any interest in me. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t a Christian, that his motives were not pure, that I was unhappy with him. The only thing that mattered was that I had the status of having a boyfriend.
This mentality also pushed me early in life into an eating disorder. I would have that “perfect” body, if it killed me! Funny thing was, no matter how I looked, it still wasn’t “perfect”, and now, 35 years later, the concerns caused by the eating disorder still plague me every day of my life.
Not being of an outgoing personality, I couldn’t attain the popularity I coveted. Instead I dedicated myself to becoming the top of my class. I learned how to take tests and do projects. Unfortunately for me, book learning doesn’t teach practical “smarts,” so once again, my efforts backfired on me, and with each failure to attain the things I desired grew the belief that I was somehow “substandard.”
If the truth were to be known, my life really wasn’t all that bad. God gave me a wonderful family, a great job, a beautiful house, two wonderful kids, a good car and 5 weeks’ vacation every year. Why was it that I continued to wish for what I didn’t have?
Because I continued to find fault with everything.
My family didn’t always respond the way I wanted them to; my job got too busy, and I disagreed with management; my “great” car wasn’t the car of my dreams; and the list could go on. Basically, my desire for what I didn’t have robbed me of the joy of what I did!
There was just one other problem brought on by my “Greener Grass” mentality. The day God came into my life, He began telling me strange things: “I love you just as you are, for I created you this way;” “I created you for a purpose;” and “I love you enough that I died for you…” I didn’t believe Him. As a result, my faith was stunted, and it took me a very long time to totally accept God into my life.
I don’t know where my story would have led if God hadn’t been persistent with me. I’ve seen this same kind of path lead many to alcohol and drugs, elicit affairs, abandonment of children and family, even suicide, and this isn’t even taking into consideration the multiple problems of health, relationships, emotional and psychiatric disorders that are often a consequence of our desire for greener grass, but the bottom line is this: The “Greener Grass” mentality keeps us from fully enjoying the blessings God has provided us with!
I would like to challenge each of you today to do two things:
1. Search your lives for any areas where you’ve subscribed to the “Greener Grass” mentality and renounce these in the name of Jesus. Then,
2. Spend time looking for the many blessings God has put in your lives. You will find them, and the day you do will mark the first day in your life that you are truly happy.
Please join us next week for the conclusion of The Grass is Always Greener, Part 3.
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author — “Aboard God’s Train — A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer”, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.
(To access the entire “The Grass is Always Greener” mini-series, please click here.)