“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” // Galatians 6:4-5
In Galatians 6 we are instructed… “Don’t compare yourself with others.”
We have all been guilty of this… whether we compare ourselves with another to soothe our egos, for reassurance about our lives, or simply out of jealously! Each one of us has experienced the sting of comparison.
Jesus knew that we would face this issue in our lives! Even this topic is addressed clearly in the Bible, in which He has fully equipped us to deal with!When we are tempted to compare our lives to the lives of others, we must not forget this all important truth… God made us and He wants His creation to look to His face. He has everything you will ever need, and in His presence, we are made full! God should inspire us to be the very best we can be! When comparison jumps to the front of our minds, we should be quick to turn our eyes upon Jesus. Comparison can be fatal. When we begin to compare our lives & situations to another we may begin to feel inadequate, and in need of “more”… (when in reality God says exactly opposite of that, we have all we need in Him, He is sufficient). His power is made PERFECT in our weakness! (2 Corinthians 12:9) When we don’t look to His face, we become sidetracked by the temporary, and our focus becomes shifted off of Him and onto things that provide no eternal benefit.
God made YOU, cares for YOU and loves who YOU are! He gave us this life to live for Him, and not to compare to the person beside us. We should be living stones of His presence, people who build up others in the love of God.
“God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.”
// 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
The next time you feel ‘tempted’ to compare, instead build someone up in the love of God, encourage them & love on them. You will find that living out that mindset will cancel out the need to compare!
Love,
