Perfect Marriage

Since the Garden of Eden, women have been tempted to fantasize about a "perfect" world. Eve thought that one piece of fruit would make her life perfect;instead, is cost her everything (see Genesis 3).

Today woman believe similar lies. We fantasize that someone else's marriage is perfect and if only ours were like hers, our lives would be perfect, too. However, there are more than a few problems with comparison. 

• Fantasies are selective. Envy usually focuses on only part of a person's life:the good part (or the part we think is good). Her marriage. Her car. Her career. Her clothes. Her child(ren).
• Fantasies thrive on misinformation. When we think someone's life is perfect, we usually don't know her as well as we think we do. Like the woman in this story, the object of our fantasy may have serious hidden issues, which we know nothing about. 
• Fantasies of perfection prevent us from realistically working on our own problems. We have to deal with our problems head-on in order to make spiritual and emotional progress. 
• As women, we do each other a terrible disservice by believing, feeding, envying and perpetuating the lie of a perfect life. The woman who seem to have it all together may be dying inside. If you have a friend who is trying hard to appear perfect, chances are she may need you more than all the rest of you friends combined. Don't encourage the lie. Be honest and available so that she knows that she can be honest with you and that you won't be disappointed in her. 
• Fantasies stunt the growth of you friendships. Until we're willing to be honest with our Christian girlfriends, we never fully know each other. 

There are no perfect marriages or lives because there are no perfect people. Many of the people we envy or put up on pedestals have endured or are enduring serious heartache-broken homes, financial crises, abuse, illness and countless other personal anguishes. Let's commit to being real and honest with our Christian sisters (see James 5:13-16). -True Identity Bible


{Exodus 20:17}
“You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

{Proverbs 14:10,30}
Each heart knows its own bitterness,

and no one else can fully share its joy.

 

A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;

jealousy is like cancer in the bones.

 

{Galatians 6:4}

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.

 

{James 3:13-18}

13I f you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.  

14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.  

15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.  

16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.  

18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.