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 spiritof 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.
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I couldn’t agree more. I think most of us literally waste years of our lives in the comparison trap. It’s not only culturally accepted, but encouraged. How the truth of God’s Word can set us free from all of that!
Welcome Carol, regarding being encouraged, it seems to often go hand in hand with faulty humility. We feel good about something but are quickly reminded not to feel “too” good
Im joining your no comparison effort a day late, but I will do it. No comparing. Comparing is bad and it wrecks your mood. Then you’re mean to everyone else.
Comparison is a deadly sin, indeed. I have spent a lifetime comparing myself to others in most every area. As a child of God, I am learning to see His fingerprints on my life, heart and unique gifting. “For God did not give me a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” Paraphrased, personalized 2 Timothy 1:7
A timely word for me, my friend. Myinner critic just has a heyday in the ‘ol comparison department. Idon’t think I even realized it was happening…Well said and very encouraging. Thank you.
Ya know, I was feeling pretty good about myself until you shared this wonderful perspective. It is stated so much better than I could have done it!
oh wait…. I’m doing it again.
Bye now. Keep up the good work. 😉
Wonderful, delightful.
Thank you.
I couldn’t agree more. I think most of us literally waste years of our lives in the comparison trap. It’s not only culturally accepted, but encouraged. How the truth of God’s Word can set us free from all of that!
Welcome Carol, regarding being encouraged, it seems to often go hand in hand with faulty humility. We feel good about something but are quickly reminded not to feel “too” good
Im joining your no comparison effort a day late, but I will do it. No comparing. Comparing is bad and it wrecks your mood. Then you’re mean to everyone else.
Never too late, it is one tough thing to do. SO worth it
I loved the reminder Christa. I wrote about this very thing in an article I did a while back. Sometimes we need to read our own words, don’t we?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/spiritualformation/findingcomparisons.html
I’ll check that out, thanks for sharing Anne. Do you find that you write for learning yourself as much as for teaching your audience?
Comparison is a deadly sin, indeed. I have spent a lifetime comparing myself to others in most every area. As a child of God, I am learning to see His fingerprints on my life, heart and unique gifting. “For God did not give me a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” Paraphrased, personalized 2 Timothy 1:7
A timely word for me, my friend. Myinner critic just has a heyday in the ‘ol comparison department. Idon’t think I even realized it was happening…Well said and very encouraging. Thank you.
Timely message for me too! I’ve heard it said that we do ourselves injustice because we tend to compare our weaknesses to other people’s strengths.
That is a great saying, thanks for sharing it!
I’ve heard a version of that that uses some mental imagery from show biz: We see everyone else’s highlight reel, but we never see their blooper reel.
Ya know, I was feeling pretty good about myself until you shared this wonderful perspective. It is stated so much better than I could have done it!
oh wait…. I’m doing it again.
Bye now. Keep up the good work. 😉