What are you thinking on?
Have you ever gone through trials, and thought if only you had someone else’s life?
Don’t do it.
It’s easy enough see the good things in another person’s life…. But remember, you can’t see all the bad. You can’t see the heartache. You can’t see the trials. You can’t see the broken relationships. You can’t see the disease. You can’t see the addictions. You can’t see what’s lacking. You can’t see the stress. You can’t see the tears. You can’t see the pain inflicted. You can’t see the pain received. You may see some. But not all.
The other night a friend compared it to “the Facebook picture”. On Facebook many people have happy pictures, and comment about the amazing things going on in their lives. But most people don’t share everything. Our friend said someone she knows has a profile that makes it look like they have the perfect life: A loving spouse, children, fun and exciting trips and activities. But if you could see behind the scenes, you would see the anxiety, depression, tears, and strained and broken relationships.
Everyone has trials. The trials we bear may cause us, or those we love, to suffer so much. But so far, we have survived. Is it possible that if we did experience someone else’s life…. experienced someone else’s trials…. we would not be able to stand up under what they’re going through? Would we not survive? People may try to weigh the severity of trials in different ways, but we are all different people. What one person may be able to handle, another would crumble under.
Trials would be truly devastating if nothing good could come from them. But I believe in a God who loves us, and takes the worst of times and uses it toward good. Even if you don’t believe in God, good can come out of trials. We can learn appreciation for things or others. Relationships can be healed or made stronger. Connections may develop or opportunities presented. We can become better people: more patient, kind, loving, understanding, forgiving, smarter, empathetic, etc.
I’m not saying trials are easy, or that we should be thrilled to have them. Seeing people suffer, I just don’t want them to lose out on what can come from trials. Wishing for another person’s life can easily distract us from the good that comes in our own. There is always something to hold on to.
Laura Johnson
February 12, 2013 at 11:39 am
Wonderfully said, Laura! Life is Dragons vs. Butterflies with occasional dragon butterflies thrown into the mix! Without the sorrow, we would not appreciate all the joys in life! They would just be accepted but not truly appreciated.
February 20, 2013 at 6:08 pm
Thank you for sharing the dragon butterfly analogy–beautiful
February 20, 2013 at 5:06 pm
Just had to comment here. This is very well said. So many people seem happy on the outside, but what about their pain. Not everyone shares that easily. We are all very complex. Bad people aren’t all bad and good people aren’t all good. What a great reminder that we all need compassion and we need to be compassionate.
Thanks Laura!
February 20, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Agreed!
It can be easy to interpret another’s words or actions based solely on what we see. Instead, we need to recognize there is a complexity behind the scenes, that we need to seek to understand.