Day 12: Thursday, January 16th
Today's Topic: Comparison
Read I Corinthians 10:12 CEB: 12We won’t dare to place ourselves in the same league or to compare ourselves with some of those who are promoting themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding.
Think about this: We live in a society that is full of opportunities for comparison. Social media gives us access to other people’s lives at our fingertips. At least a version of their lives. When we see the highlight reels that are posted, it may make us a little dissatisfied with the behind-the-scenes reality of our own lives. This is why Paul warned the Corinthians against comparing themselves with each other.
God created you as a unique individual, formed and fashioned for His purpose. He didn’t ask you to be anyone else but you. He didn’t call you to be anyone else but you. Instead of comparing yourself to others, seek God for what He has for you. During this time of consecration, instead of scrolling through other people’s lives and comparing them to yours, take the time to seek God for all He has for you. Don’t let comparison kill the contentment and excitement you have over what God is doing in your life!
Pray this prayer: Dear God, Thank you for what you have in store for me. I won’t compare myself to anyone else, but I’ll be content in knowing that you have a divine and specific purpose for my life. As I take this time to get closer to you, I’ll lean into your plan for my life and fulfill it to the best of my ability.
An extra challenge: Take a moment and reflect on what makes you unique. Think about the areas and things that make you YOU! Now, take a minute to think about areas where you have compared yourself to others. Are there any areas that overlap? If so, you've likely just identified an insecurity. The challenge here is to recognize that comparison of any kind will either lead to dissatisfaction or arrogance; nothing good comes from comparing yourself to others. Really think about the areas where you are comparing yourself to others and make the commitment to refuse comparison and focus on observing others not obsessing over what they have or do.