Comparison is a Killer of Joy

Romans 12:14-21

The enemy often uses comparison as an attempt to lead us away from God. He whispers lies in our ears saying, “Look at what they have that you don’t. This must mean that God loves them more than he loves you.” It’s especially easy to believe these lies when you find yourself in a season of waiting for something: a spouse, a child, a job opportunity, healing from an illness, or the fulfillment of another prayer you have been praying for a long time.

When you start looking at other people’s lives and wishing you had what they have, it’s easy to lose sight of what God is doing in your life. He has you exactly where you are for a reason and will bless you with the things he has placed on your heart when the time is right. Lean into the season he has you in, spend time strengthening your relationship with Him, and stay faithful in prayer, expectantly waiting for God to move. Be genuinely happy for those around you and the way God is working in their lives – even when that includes seeing them experience things you wish you had. God has each of us on different paths but every single one of those paths is beautiful in its own way.

On the other hand, comparison can also cause us to exalt ourselves. It can be easy to lose humility and fall into the trap of thinking we know better than everyone else. It’s easy to think, “Well, I’m not perfect, but at least I’m not doingwhat they’re doing.” The truth is, we all fall short and are all a long way from perfectly reflecting Jesus. We really don’t have it figured out any more than the next person. We are constantly learning, and we shouldn’t look at ourselves as being better than someone else just because they are learning different lessons than us.

At the end of the day, it all comes back to love. We should love those who have the things we are so eagerly awaiting. We should love those who see things differently than us and are on different paths than us. We should love those who hurt us. The best revenge is prayer. Pray for those who hurt you and love them anyway. We are not called to condemn others or make them pay for their actions. God is the ultimate judge, leave it up to Him to do that. Our job is to forgive and treat those who hurt us with kindness. This is how we can reflect the character of Jesus and conquer evil by doing good.

Carmen K