Comparison Is The Thief of Joy

Comparison is the thief of joy. 

-Theodore Roosevelt

     Who or what are you comparing yourself to these days? With mass media in so many forms, it's terribly easy to get sucked into

comparison → envy → sadness/depression/resentment/untrue feelings and thoughts of loneliness and abandonment. But how do you keep from getting there in the first place? 

     The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:4 to each of us "examine your own actions. Then you can be proud of your own accomplishments without comparing yourself to others. Sometimes, it helps to keep your eyes on your own paper, so to speak. I've had to go weeks and months before without social media, a fast I imposed on myself, so that I didn't have anything photo-shopped or unreal to compare my very real life to. MESSAGE! So many of the things we see and begin to compare ourselves and our lives to aren't even real! Imagine that God is looking at you like, 'homie, you're comparing your realness to fake stuff. Baby, what is you doin'?' LOL. And even if it is real, it would be fake on you. 

     

     For instance, remember when you were little and tried on your parent's clothes or shoes? It wasn't quite like when they wore them. That's by design. Other people's houses, cars, marriages, friendships, clothes, praise, shoes, personality is theirs. Yours is yours. Imagine how hard life would be if we had to live two different lives at a time? That's what you're essentially doing when you wake up and live your life, but try to live someone else's on social media. You're making things harder than they have to be by devoting your thoughts to a dream instead of the life that God wants to give you and live with you. 

     Comparison has stolen so much joy from me in the past and it hurts. Sunny days and good food have no effect on you at the cookout because you're too busy being sad about not being where you are in life and what happens at cookouts guys? Everybody asks you where you are in life. And it isn't a bad thing. It's networking and mingling. So, don't begin to hate or resent those people for asking about your life. This isn't about them, it's about you and getting rid of these thoughts and feelings. They're hurting you and eating away at you, your joy, and your peace. 

Just be you. Be the you that God wants you to be. You're the only that can fit into your shoes anyway. And other people's shoes weren't made for you. 

Pray this prayer with me:

Dear God, 

   You call me masterpiece. You made me fearfully and wonderfully. You call me your own. You made me with great care and design. But sometimes, I don't like what I see in the mirror or, more specifically, how it measures up to the image of others. Help me to stop measuring myself to them and begin to measure myself with your word and your thoughts toward me. Teach me to seek you and your truth instead of unattainable goals of falseness. Help me to see that your hands have created nothing in vain. Help me to see that anything created in your perfect hands must be beautiful. 

     God, your plans for me are good and perfect. I know they are for welfare, a future, and hope. But sometimes, I get weary in knowing that my plans have not come to fruition. Sometimes, I get frustrated, seeing my friends and family doing well and I still haven't accomplished so many of my goals. Help me to be content with yours, knowing that yours are perfect and will come to pass no matter what. I love you with my whole heart. You are my God. Thank you for being my rock and my love. 

Amen.