We watched the movie Courageous over the weekend – talk about a good movie. One of the lead characters said (about parenting), “I always thought I was doing good enough because I was doing better than my dad.”

I’ve mulled over that statement and wondered how often I compare how I’m doing something to how someone else is doing it, instead of to the standard God calls me to do it.

Sometimes comparison sneaks up on us. Sometimes we find ourselves comparing our actions and appearances against someone else’s because of something that’s been said or done to us. Like when a good friend says we should do something “like she does” or when one walks through an affair. Sometimes we chose comparison to measure that we are doing something better than ….

Whether we are struggling with comparison because we want to be good enough, or we are using comparison to justify that we are good enough, it’s a deadly trap. It pits us against people. It makes us think we are so much worse than we really are, or so much better than we really are.

I want to weigh my actions and words and appearance against the standard God set for me. All through His Word we can find how to live, how to regard beauty, how to love others. Worldly comparison inhibits our ability to love others and live the way God wants us to.

Unfortunately, we will find that we fall short of God’s standard oftentimes. This is where He can draw us in and show us His grace. This is where He can take our deep brokenness and show us His immeasurable peace and deep comfort. This is where He can mold us and make us who He calls us to be.

Until next time,

 

 

A Prayer to Share:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please help stop the comparisons that run through my mind. Align my thoughts with You, with Your Word. Help me to focus on who You are calling me to be, and what You are calling me to do. Let me leave others to their calling. Comparison is the thief of all joy, and Lord, I want Your joy in my life. Remove this thief, convict me when I start trying to make comparisons, and help me live my life to please You.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.