The deadly plague

Believe it or not, there is a deadly pestilence roaming the earth called “comparing yourself to others”. Whether you want to admit it or not, this spirit invades each of us at one time or another. It’s the pestilence that chews away your confidence and worth. Don't be timid about its affect-it can kill you. The good news is that it doesn’t HAVE to swallow the core of who you are. When the spirit lingers around you, you have a choice to receive it or reject it. I suggest you reject it.

How many times have you looked at someone-his or her brains, clothes, body shape, car, hair, or personality and said “If only…” or “I could have that, too, if I do A, B and C…” or even “I could gain acceptance from him or her if I did A, B and C”. How often do you critique the personality of someone more “attainable” than you only to end the day feeling discouraged and like you can never make it to the top? How often do you find yourself saying “I’ll never be able to…” or “Why couldn’t I have been like this…”

If you’ve said or thought these things once, you’ve said or thought them once too much. Because you are loved, uniquely accepted, chosen and approved by your Maker, you have no reason or right to compare yourself with others. Make the decision to stop allowing those thoughts to rule your mind. You have not been fashioned to fit in Sally’s shoes, look like Lisa, or have Wally’s personality. You haven’t even been entrusted with Gracie’s gift of knowing how to solve every math problem on the face of the planet, so relax, allow yourself a chuckle for understanding your strengths and weaknesses, and CHOOSE to accept that you are delightfully different!

Certainly the first tool in waging war against comparison is to understand who and why your Creator is; when that revelation comes, you realize who and why you are. I highly suggest meditating on the Sword, especially during those vicious cycles of destructive thinking, to fully grasp the importance of who you are to Him and others. I also still believe one of the best things you can do to combat this locust of comparison is to strengthen your strengths. Sure you’ll run into difficulties learning to master your craft, and you may even find yourself battling comparison in THAT area, but I’m convinced that a choice to overcome is all it takes.

Understand your value. Understand your purpose in the world. Understand your absolute worth of being fearfully and wonderfully made. Don’t allow a bubble of lies to infiltrate your mind; choose to do something about them! Stomp on them, scream at them, stare them in the face and reject them! Laziness is already too prevalent in this culture so do yourself a favor: get off your butt, learn your passions, find your gifts and develop them! Before you know it, you’ll be soarin’ the skies of heaven in full assurance that YOU are worth more than you give yourself credit for, are exquisitely valuable to your Creator and you will find yourself knowing confidence like you’ve never known it before!

Happy thoughts!