“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Theodore Roosevelt

Have you ever heard something in your life that had potential to change it forever? That is how I felt when I heard this quote last Sunday. I immediately thought about much I talk about comparison and suffer from it myself. I realized in the moment that it truly is the KILLER of joy. I started to ponder and ask myself some hard questions.

The first thing I asked myself is why do I or so many others compare themselves to others. It was not long after that I started to think about how I feel when I do compare. There is this place inside of me and all of us that is not always happy with ourselves or situation. There are unresolved, deep feelings about our appearance, status, lifestyle, and etc that cause us to become extremely unhappy. This unhappiness lead us to the down the ugly road of comparison. This can be a serious and dangerous place because we stop realizing ALL that we are and have in God.

Sometimes I just feel like I’m not good enough, my hair is too short, I have dark spots, I don’t speak as well as this person, I don’t drive, I don’t blah, blah , blah….and this stirs up the WAR inside of me. This war leads to feelings of depressions, sadness, and despair simply because what I see and feel about myself is just not good enough. I’m already starting to CHANGE this behavior because I can see that it takes my joy.

Do you see yourself failing into this place? Do you compare your life to others that you see on social media, TV, or right in your own sphere of influence? This comparison thing can get so UGLY that we become angry and sometimes even jealous of others because of what they are doing or have.

Sheesh…I have literally not done things that I know I was suppose to do because I didn’t think it would turn out like the next person. I have stopped opportunities and turned down being MYSELF because I decided to compare instead of EMBRACE all of who I am.

I’m excited because this is not a permanent thing. We can grow from this area and truly embrace who God wants us to become so we can represent him well. So let’s let go of comparison and all the negative things that come with it.  Let’s be content with where God has us and expect even greater in the upcoming future!