Why is it that things always seem better elsewhere?

Ever heard the term, 'the grass always looks greener on the other side'?

I'm sure you have. It is a very common figure of speech that is basically saying that no matter where you are, things always look better somewhere else. It's human nature to think that way, but is it really true?

I have had the chance to speak with numerous people who are always talking about how things would be so much better somewhere else. One hears that a great deal overseas, especially from teenagers. The line, 'if I was in America [or another country] ...' comes up a lot in conversations.

I was just wondering. Do we not have suffering in our native country? Is everything perfectly and always easy? Are we never alone? Or just plain lonely? Do we never struggle?

What is that makes our native country or somewhere else seem so much better?

There are bitter people all over the world.

What is it that makes the grass look "greener" elsewhere?

Maybe, just maybe, it is that no matter where we are in life, we can still find something wanting if we look. Mankind is never satisfied.

Back to kids overseas. I have even said it myself, but now as I am thinking about it, life is hard everywhere. Sure, some places are more difficult than others. But there is no place in the universe that doesn't have hardships, stress, loneliness, aloneness, and...

people.

Yep, that's right. As long as there is people, and that definitely includes yourself and myself, life will always have its hardships, its stress, its aloneness, its loneliness.

Nothing can really change that. It's life. No one said it was easy. No one said it would be easy. And no one said it has to be easy.

But,

Life can most certainly be fun. Joyful. Full of friendship. Kindness. Faithfulness. Compassion. Mercy. Grace. Love.

Even in the stressful and hard times, one can find love, joy, friendship, mercy, grace, etc. You just have to look for it. I have found it.

And the best place to find it is in God. Let Him be all you need. When you do that, the difficulties and stress seem insignificant.

They are still there. They haven't left. They certainly haven't lessened.

They just aren't as important any more. When you focus on something other than your struggles, you don't notice the hard stuff. They don't matter as much. Especially if you let God be all you need. If you let Him be number one in your life.

If you do that, life is a little more bearable. I mean, come on! You have God on your side.

What else do you need?

What more could you need?

You will never need or want anything else other than God.

Let Him be your provider.

Let Him show you just how 'green' your world can be.