Love Your Life Not TheirsIsampula

Day 1
Chasing Make-Believe

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6 NIV)

I'm definitely one of those people who enjoy social media. I use it for my job, and I use it to keep up with friends. It's a great way to stay connected.

Most of the time.

Other times, well, it can send me into an unhealthy spiral of discontentment. I'll let a picture of someone else's vacation ruin the marvelous time I'm having on mine. Or I'll see a post of a friend's new kitchen and start figuring out how I can replace my "old" cabinets and furniture. If I'm not careful, I'll catch myself comparing instead of celebrating—letting something outside my control define my satisfaction.

I have to keep in mind that many of the "perfect" pictures on social media are enhanced. What we see on our phones is just a public display of our best self and not necessarily reality. For example, it probably took 50 shots to get that one, angelic family photo just right. And I've noticed that no one ever posts a picture of their rusted, paid-for, 1992 Camry with a #blessed tag.

When we get caught up in social media comparisons, we're really comparing ourselves to make-believe. And when you compare yourself to make-believe, nothing ever seems good enough.

That's why Paul told his young friend, Timothy, that godliness combined with contentment produces incredible benefits. Contentment breaks the spell of make-believe and keeps our focus where it belongs—on our relationship with God.

Over the next several days, we're going to take a look at seven money habits that will keep us grounded in reality. Of course, breaking, building, and rebuilding habits can be hard work, but it's the only way to start loving your own life—not wishing you had someone else's.

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Learn seven money habits for living the life you want with my book Love Your Life, Not Theirs.