Don’t Let Comparison Rob You

In this day and age when marketing is a way of life, advertisers make their money comparing one product to another to show one product’s superiority or to introduce the newest, latest addition that makes what you have obsolete. This creates in us dissatisfaction with what we have and an appetite for the things we don’t. And it is easy to get caught up in the comparison trap.

Don’t let comparison rob you of all that God has for you!

I’ve heard many sermons on comparison. They usually end by telling you that it is a bad thing, and then follow up with some way that YOU should change yourself. The reality is that Jesus died to give you more than that; He died to give you His empowerment that meets every evil tendency with the fullness of His amazing presence.

James 4:1-5 tells us, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war; yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?” But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble” (NKJV).

In this Scripture we see that we are led away by soul desire, but the key to overcome this is to pray. Prayer opens the door for God to bring opportunity, advancement, finances, friends and any earthly commodity into our life. It is God’s access to lavish blessing on us.

Often we struggle with the success of others because we don’t realize ALL God has stored in us. The Bible says that God would never withhold anything good from those who walk uprightly. Jesus made you righteous. Therefore, anything you see God doing for someone else, He will do for you, if you ask and obey His promptings.

Prayer opens your heart for God to show you how unique and valuable you really are. Prayer allows Him to show you that you are truly the only one that can do what He created you to do. When you experience that love flowing through you in the place of prayer, suddenly you want to cheer others on because you truly realize that your destiny is secure; it’s not a competition.

Don’t let comparison rob you. Instead, when you feel yourself longing for the advancement that someone else is walking in, STOP. Ask the Father, “Why does that bother me? Help me to see how you are yearning to be welcome in my life.” As you invite God into that moment, He will transform your thinking and reinforce you to walk free from comparison, because that “knowing” that comes from the place of prayer will remind you that you are irreplaceable.

About the author

Carin has been married for 29 years to the love of her life, Josh. They have two kids, Jonathan and Whitney, and a son in law John. Carin served for 4 years on the prayer leadership team at Gateway church and taught equipping classes on prayer as well as the weekly “Prayer Tools” Class. She is one of the founders of the Titus 2, “Trained by Grace” ministry at Gateway. She enjoys fun getaways with family, old movies, and her two golden retrievers Jackson and Wesley.