Have you heard of the comparison game? You know, the one where you look at what everyone else has going on and think, “I wish my spouse ___________________.” Or, “Wow, I wish we could travel like so-and-so does.” Or maybe it sounds a little more cynical in your head like, “It must be nice to ___fill in the blank_____.”
With all the outside noise coming in from ALL angles, it’s really easy to get caught up in the comparison game, whether it’s with marriage, relationships, life, or even how we’re raising our children.
I’m the first to admit, my house and life look a lot messier than the squares that roam up and down my screen. But there was a period when I would look at these people on social media, who I barely knew, and pin myself against them. Guess what? I’d lose every time, and I’d close my apps and think: I have got to get it together. I’m ruining my family. I wish I was a better wife, mom, or friend. I’m not as good as ______ (fill in the blank). I’d try what they were doing, and it would stick for a day or a few - maybe even a couple of weeks, and then it wouldn’t. Why? Because it didn’t work for our family. Then, naturally, I would beat myself up over failing a system that wasn’t meant for me.
Thankfully, God slapped me right out of that cycle with the phrase “Stay in your lane.” In other words, stop comparing yourself to others. Galatians 6:4-5 spells this out very clearly. Paul said, “But each person should examine HIS OWN WORK, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and NOT in respect to someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load.”
Friends, no one lives with the same circumstances that you live with. No one has the same personality dynamics in their family. No one has the same financial situation or work schedule. And no one has the same home structure. When we pin ourselves against what we see on social media, we are losing the gifts that we’ve each been given individually to use. Additionally, remember that we are going to fail from time to time – sometimes more than others – but God’s mercies are NEW each day (Lamentations 3:22-23). So lean into that. This week, let’s practice taking our convictions from God and His Spirit, not through the comparison of others. Comparison is a thief, and “…a thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). Don’t let comparison steal your joy this week.
Have a great week, friends!
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