The Comparison Game

Have you ever been at a place where you were feeling pretty good about yourself and your life?  You're content with what you do for a living, your current hair style, where you live, the car you drive...and then you look around and darn it, you see someone who has a better job, has a more current hair style, a more “maintenance free” home, and the brand new SUV that you’ve had your heart set on. When you compare your life to hers...well, let’s just say, your life doesn’t look quite as “pretty good” as before!

I honestly thought that I was past playing the comparison game until just the other day. I was having lunch with one of my dearest friends, (yes,the kind of friend that I would give my life for) and I found myself comparing my life to hers. Oooh, bad move!  Her children all live close to her...my children and family live across the country. She has several grandchildren...I have zero. She has a great job that allows her to make a great living. God has called me to a ministry where I may impact ladies’ lives, but it’s not necessarily highly “profitable”. Gosh, all of a sudden my “pretty good” life didn’t look so great anymore!


Well, I knew that if I wasn’t going to plummet down that big dark “her life’s better than my life” hole, I had better do something fast! That’s when I thought of this scripture...Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." And ok, ok! I also thought of Exodus 20:17...”You shall not covet.”  I made myself stop and really think about those scriptures. God has a highly individualized and specialized plan for my life. He has planned my life to look like no one else’s. I was allowing satan to rob me of my contentment with the wonderful life God has given me...a life that's supposed to look like no other!

How about you? Do you ever compare yourself to someone else? Maybe you don’t pray out loud in a group because your prayer doesn’t sound quite as “good” as the others’. Perhaps you find yourself getting angry with your husband because he isn’t as considerate as your neighbour’s husband. Whatever the comparison, please stop. Remind yourself that God has a highly individualized and specialized plan for your life. He has planned your life to look like no one else’s!
 

Be happy for other’s happiness and successes, and never compare your life to anyone else's.  Believe it or not, God's plan for your life is the best plan ever!
 

Love and blessings,
Mary

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