Where the Grass is Greener!

We’ve all heard it said, “The grass is greener on the other side.” Well, this year that is not true when it comes to my lawn. After fighting for the past few years with the crabgrass and other weeds that were taking over (and wasting money on products that either didn’t work or that I didn’t apply properly), I gave in and hired a company to do the weed-killing and fertilizations. The result is, this year my lawn looks better than ever. In fact, the grass is not greener on the other side; it is greener on my side (as if it’s some kind of competition!). 

I think we would all agree that, if we are not careful, it is easy for us to fall into a “the grass is greener on the other side” mentality. We look at our lives and see all the troubles and difficulties that we are facing. We think about the things we wish we had or the things we wish we could do. At the same time, we look at the people around us and get the impression that everyone else’s life is put together, filled with fun and fulfillment, and that they have all the things our hearts could ever desire. The proverbial grass is brown and dry on our side, while it is green and lush on their side—or so we think. It’s a terrible way of thinking, but we all succumb to it at some time or another. 

To be honest, I was having one of those mornings recently when I began to take on a “the grass is greener on the other side” mentality. I had begun to think a little too much about all the struggles I’ve been through this year and some situations that are yet at hand. Soon, I began to pity myself and think about the way I wished things were. At the same time, a thought went racing through my mind that implied, others have it so much better. In other words, I began to think that their grass was greener than mine! 

That morning, however, I came to these words written by David during a time when he was feeling really down about his own life: “I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13:6 – NIV) If you read the earlier verses of this psalm, you will read of David complaining to God about all of his woes. He even cried out, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” And he seems to indicate that his enemies had it so much better than he did. But eventually he wrote the words which jumped off the page at me, “…he has dealt bountifully with me.”  In other words, maybe the grass was a lot greener on David’s side than he originally thought! Maybe all he needed to do was taken a moment to reflect upon all the good things God had done within his life.  

I want to encourage you to take a moment today to take stock of how good God has been to you and reflect upon the bountiful blessings he has brought into your life. For, even in the midst of a few brown and dry spots that have shown up in your life, I am sure there are many more green and lush spots with which he has blessed you. So remember, the grass is not always greener on the other side! 

Have a great day! 

Pastor Tim Harris