Do you find yourself comparing your life to the girl next door? Do you wish your kids acted like her kids? Do you wish you could afford to drive that car or wish your home was as beautiful as hers? What if I told you that comparing your life to someone else’s robs you of the joy that God wants to give you?
Teddy Roosevelt is actually who said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” This simply means that when we compare ourselves to others, we feel inadequate. When we look at Pinterest and see how one lady cooks elaborate meals, but you, most often, just open up a box for dinner or order takeout. When we look at Instagram and see the 15 seconds of a woman’s life, we find ourselves longing for their perfect image. When we see our friends photos on Facebook of their elaborate vacation or date night or party….you get the picture. We compare ourselves to these people and we begin to feel like we aren’t enough or we don’t have enough. I wrote another blog post a few years ago about this same topic. You can read it here.
I’m giving you permission to STOP IT!!! Comparison is the thief of JOY! We have all been made perfectly in His image (Genesis 1:27) and we have been given everything we need for life by His divine power (2 Peter 1:3). Therefore, we need to count our blessings, be grateful for what we have and quit comparing our lives to everyone around us.
Do you remember when you were a kid and you often said things like, “why does she get to do everything? Her mom is so much nicer than you!” or “why can’t I have ___________ for Christmas? I never get the cool stuff!” What a whiner!!!
Do you think that God hears us and thinks, “why can’t she be happy with the blessings in her life?” When I stop and think about it, I have to repent because I never want to cause God to think that I’m not grateful for every good and perfect gift that comes from Him. I don’t want to be a whiner to God. I want to have a thankful spirit and be constantly on the lookout for gifts that I’ve received from my good, good Father!
Next time you are on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook, remember that this is a highlight reel and not their actual life. Everyone likes to show the good stuff on social media. We all have many good and perfect gifts in our own lives and when we quit comparing ourselves to everyone else, I believe the JOY will be restored.
Be blessed,
Vickie