Comparisons

I was looking through a list of old quotes about living amongst the poor, and I came across this one by David Brainerd--
"Such fatigues and hardship as these serve to wean me more from the earth; and, I trust, will make heaven the sweeter. Formerly, when I was thus exposed to cold, rain, etc., I was ready to please myself with the thoughts of enjoying a comfortable house, a warm fire, and other outward comforts; but now these have less place in my heart (through the grace of God) and my eye is more to God for comfort. In this world I expect tribulation; and it does not now, as formerly, appear strange to me; I don't in such seasons of difficulty flatter myself that it will be better hereafter; but rather think how much worse it might be; how much greater trials others of God's children have endured; and how much greater are yet perhaps reserved for me. Blessed be God that he makes (=is) the comfort to me, under my sharpest trials, and scarce ever lets these thoughts be attended with terror or melancholy; but they are attended frequently with great joy."
I realize that most of the time, I compare myself with those who have more than me, not with those who have less. I may lay asleep at night and think of being on a nice warm bed, or I may think of those who are married and wish I had someone laying next to me, or a myriad of things that I could wish were different about my life. But what if I compared myself rather to those who had less--perhaps remembering those who suffer tortures for their love of Jesus, or those who have no sleeping bag as they lay asleep under the stars in the mean streets, perhaps then I'd realize how rich I am in so many ways.