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The Danger of Comparison by Cynthia Greene
Christian author, Lysa Terkeurst said:
“Comparison is the thief of joy, and in the age of social media, it has become one of the greatest spiritual traps. We see curated lives online and begin to measure ourselves by someone else’s highlight reel, forgetting that God has uniquely created each of us with gifts, purpose, and a calling that no one else can fulfill.”
Dangers of Comparing Ourselves to Others
Comparison can lead to envy, discouragement and distraction from the purpose and plan God has for us. Scripture gives plenty of warning to not compare ourselves to others.
- Caution against envy–“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” (Proverbs 14:30)
- Caution against pride–Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (Romans 12:3)
- Comparison steals your joy—“ But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” (Galatians 6:4)
- Warning against selfishness—“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)
Comparison is a subtle trap from the enemy to distract us from living out our God given purpose in our lives. When we measure ourselves against others then it can be easy for pride, inadequacy, selfishness and envy can influence our thoughts and actions. In doing so, we turn our attention away from His voice, His timing, and his unique calling in our lives. Instead we start to focus on what others have or appear to be accomplishing. This change in perspective can steal our joy and cause us to question who we are and what we are supposed to be doing and accomplishing.
You Are God’s Unique Creation
Psalm 139 reminds us that God has personally formed, crafted, and created us in His image with our own individual personality, abilities, talents and gifts.
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. (Psalm 139:13-14)
Jeremiah 1:5 says:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
With these scriptures in mind, instead of comparing and measuring ourselves against others, we are called to focus on the unique way that God created us. He gave each of us unique gifts, talents and purpose and He wants us to love and serve others in a way that glorifies Him and His purposes.
We honor and bring glory to God when we live in our own strengths and gifts. When we embrace our God-given uniqueness, and live our lives as God created us to be, we reflect his light to others. Jesus said, ‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). When we walk confidently in our God-given identity, we can be the “light of the world” that God intended and can inspire, encourage and give hope to others pointing them back to God and His way of life and truth.
Living Free from Comparison
Freedom from comparison begins when we choose to change our thoughts and focus back on God and His purpose for our lives. Scripture reminds us to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). When we seek God’s kingdom first the need to compare ourself to others loses its grip.
Another scripture that shows us that God has an intentional plan for each of us in our lives is:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).
When we trust God’s plan and timing and look to Him for our purpose in life we no longer need to compare our self to others.
Some practical steps we can take to avoid comparison and instead live our life according to God’s will:
- Pray that God will show you that your God-given gifts are for serving others.
- Take time every day to be grateful for blessings and opportunities that god has placed in your life.
- Surround yourself with people that encourage you to grow and shine in your unique way.
- Write out scriptures that show God’s will, truth, and promises for your life.
