Don't compare yourself to others, it's a waste of life

Don’t compare yourself to others

Why is it so hard to maintain our identity?

In our head, we understand that we are unique individuals, yet our hearts weigh us down with insecurities.

Have you experienced an emotional high that comes from doing your best at something? A project completed or improvement in a desired skill set?

And then, the thief of our peace comes in whispering, Did you see how much better ______ did? How many more _______ they produced/won/earned?

“Why can’t “I” get it together like that person, we wonder, deflated.

Galatians 5:7-8 encourages us, “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom”.

Why do I compare myself?

I am me. You are you. They are, well, them.

Stop comparing yourself. You have so much to offer. Just by being YOU.

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark- Michelangelo

There will always be someone faster, smarter, more disciplined, better looking, more charismatic, and in the case of writers, have more popular blogs.

And?

We don’t need to worry about any of that. We are created to offer specific things to our world.

Each of us, we don’t want to miss out on doing that by blindly getting sidetracked by what someone else has going on.

Give from the endless well that we are each sourced with; when we remember that it isn’t about us, but God through us. We forget 2 Timothy 1:7

For God has NOT given us a spirit of fear (I can’t do this)

and timidity, (they are better, further along than me)

but of power, (watch out world, God is going to bless you through me)

love, (we are enough, because of Jesus. No more is required)

and self-discipline. (Practice improving, be content)

Compare yourself only to who God created you to be

Let us focus on what who we are. Brave, confident, powerful, loved, disciplined.

Doesn’t match up with how we feel? Maybe not yet, but we are capable. We are trained up to compare; gauge ourselves against our fellow mankind.

Wrongly.

Comparison is a thug that robs your joy. But it’s even more than that – Comparison makes you a thug who beats down somebody – or your soul- Ann Voskamp

I am going to practice that self-discipline starting today, with not comparing.

It’ll be hard. Ongoing. Worth it.

I hope you will join me.