Skip to main content

By Comparison

Our lesson this week in Kids Church was about comparing ourself to others. This is a terrible trap that I have fallen into many times in my life, so I recognize this pitfall when it shows up. It is so easy to look at what others have or what they have accomplished and judge myself as unworthy by comparison. The enemy wants me to believe the lie that I must measure up to other people’s standards.

But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Although the Israelites had the God of the universe as their King, they desired to be like other nations. It didn’t matter that God had delivered them many times through the generations. In comparing their practice with pagan nations, they began a free fall into the human kingdom that would bring much suffering, ending with the exile into Babylon.

As I have grown older, I recognize the comparison game in myself more easily now. I don’t always avoid stumbling when thoughts of unworthiness seep in, but it has become markedly easier to accept myself as exactly what God intended as I get older. 

It grieves my Father’s heart when I am upset about who or what I am in comparison to someone else. He has a specific purpose for me that I am designed to fulfill. If I spend my days wishing I were someone else, I am wasting my time trying to be something other than what He has in mind. The truth is, when I am in His will and His plan, I find so much greater joy. It’s easy to be joyful when I accept myself as God’s creation and unique daughter. I can smile when someone else does something well because they are being who God created them to be. I can lay down in peace when I remember that the God of the universe calls me His masterpiece. As long as I am chasing after Him, I am worthy, and I feel it in my heart. 

The only person we should ever compare ourselves to is Jesus. It’s a standard we can never achieve but one we should work toward every day. Who are you comparing yourself to? Is it really worth it? Don’t you want to be content in what God has given you? It’s possible, friend. God can help you accept yourself as He has received you. He wants to make you into the best version of yourself that you can be. Only He knows exactly how to do that. Today, I encourage you to remind yourself of who you are in Christ Jesus and press into God’s plan for your life.

© Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Feelings and Faith

Vulnerable moment: it’s been a crazy week. If I’m being honest, the last six months or more have been wrought with uncertainty and so many questions within myself about my purpose.  I’ve been in a season of transition in our family with adapting to having an independent adult child and an independent teenage son-both of whom are thriving. So my purpose as a mom has shifted into steadfast support and guidance from a distance rather than rushing to the rescue, which I know is where we should be with them. This shift has adjusted our marriage. Lyndon and I are both learning how to navigate this new territory, and I’m so grateful we have each other.  My Daddy died suddenly last year, and I am still grieving the unexpected loss and what could have been. Grief is a strange journey and differs for everyone. What I know is Christ gives me the most profound peace when I feel my turbulent heart trying to sway me. But it certainly is a sadness that is layered. Because of these major life...
Post a Comment
Read more

Praise Anyway

This has been a difficult week for many reasons. At the start of the week, I was struggling to justify why I must remain patient before moving into the full calling of Unbroken and Undone and all that God has given me vision for.  It was only a week ago that I was crying with my mom and sister about not understanding why it seems like some people are able to move so easily into their calling while, for me, it has felt like my years of ministry and serving have been more of a slow crawl and constant waiting for doors to open. My sister made a remark about how hard it must have been for Abraham and Sarah to wait in their promise. I was reminded that when they tried to do things their own way, Ishmael was the result. This same sweet sister of mine has been a foster mom now for nine months. We have loved every little that has come into our lives, and it has transformed my understanding of the heart of God for us. At the end of the day, though, my sister and her husband want to adopt a ...
Post a Comment
Read more

He’s Already Heard My Prayer

This is one of the most difficult pieces to write. My dad, Steve, passed away this morning unexpectedly. He was the “Music Man” in my world who made life a song.  Daddy was responsible for putting me on the stage. At two years old, he stood me on the altar at church so everyone could watch me sing “Victory in Jesus.”   At twelve, he was teaching me how to set up equipment and mix sound. As a teenager, we wrote songs together. His love of music is so deeply ingrained in me that I feel a piece of that is somehow missing now. Things were not always great between me and Daddy. In fact, we went for a long time without having contact with one another. I’m so grateful that God restored our relationship in his final years. Neither one of us were perfect in our relationship, but I always loved him deeply. So today, I’m heartbroken. Memories are flooding my mind, and there are so many things I still wanted us to share. I know the coming days will be filled with waves of grief and the st...
Post a Comment
Read more