Comparison: the thief of joy, the enemy of peace, the nemesis of rest . . .

We know it’s not “good” for us to compare.  Though some argue it has helpful benefits in the workplace and can “propel” us to greatness . . .I disagree. Every time we’re focused on how we’re doing as COMPARED to how someone else is doing, we rob ourselves of uniqueness.

What if I’m not supposed to write “well” like her, what if I’m supposed to write like me?

Does God really want us to be imitators of others, or imitators of Jesus?

I think we both know the answer to that one.

So, how do we stop comparing? I’m doing a “Comparison Fast” on social media and with my subscribers, I hope to be able to share it with you all at some point. But, today, I want to give you ten quick reasons to stop comparing. I hope they’ll help set you on the road to freedom!

Ten Reasons to Stop Comparing

10. God didn’t create you to be better than her. He didn’t create you to be worse than her. He created you to be you. There is no “better than” or “worse than.” He doesn’t have us all line up from best to worst based on various metrics.

9. Speaking of metrics, comparisons require them. We must have a set standard in our heads (sometimes that we aren’t even aware of) by which we measure others and then measure ourselves. But can every thing be measured? Though you’d never say it out loud, have you secretly decided that people who wear a size 6 are best? How do you get to make that decision? Is it true just because you believe it? It sounds a little silly when we put our “not at all objective” metrics into words.

8. I could probably beat most Victoria’s Secret models in a typing contest. Likewise, I’m no match for their, shall we say, “photogenic” nature. Comparing your weaknesses to someone else’s strengths isn’t fair.

7. Picking out just one attribute or quality of a person and defining them by that one thing is called objectification. We deprive a woman of her humanness when we only see her as pretty on the outside and decide to compare this one quality she has with a single one of our qualities. You’re not one dimensional, neither is the person with whom you are comparing yourself.

6. Likewise, we’re all a mixed bag of good and bad, great strengths and tragic weaknesses (impatience and warm brownies are mine).

5. There will always be someone who looks better. Are you going to spend your entire life competing in an imaginary beauty contest or are you going to stop stressing over your appearance and live the purpose-filled life God’s designed you for?

4. There will always be someone who has it better than you. But there will also always be someone who has it worse than you.

3. Life isn’t fair. But neither is grace. And, I’m grateful for that.

2. Comparison zaps the love right out of our relationships with others. Seriously. Have you ever felt truly close to that woman whom you secretly hate because of her fast metabolism? Instead of loving friendships, we create resentments. We feel unhappy with our alleged friend, and unhappy with ourselves.

1. Comparing keeps your focus in one unhelpful place–on yourself. We get caught in the self-improvement rat race trying to keep up with her and her. We look around at how others are doing and are forced to focus even harder on ourselves if we’re ever going to keep up.

What do you think? What would you add to this list?

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