“Comparison just eats away at our joy...”
John Mark Comer
As I dealt with some loss and disappointment of unfulfilled desires, I found myself being jealous and envious of what others had. I immediately repented of the ugliness within me. I was grateful the Holy Spirit pointed out the hurt in my heart so that He could heal me. God is so kind in that way. He loves me so much that He wants my heart to be made whole. I found myself praying to Him, “Lord, help me to express gratitude for every little thing. Keep me from comparison as it leads to nothing healthy or beneficial.”
The first way we can increase our joy is by stopping our comparison with others. 2 Corinthians 10:12 tells us it’s not wise to compare. One of the main hazards of social media is comparison. When we see how “perfect” other peoples’ lives are, we become discontented with our lives. Remember, things are not always as they appear. People usually only post the good about themselves, not the bad or the ugly. Social media encourages us to focus on what we lack and don’t have rather than on what we do have.
Even the disciples compared themselves to one another. In John chapter twenty-one, after Jesus told Peter what kind of death he would experience, Peter asked how the beloved disciple John was going to die. And the Lord replied to Peter in verse 22, “What is that to you?” In other words, we need to be concerned about ourselves and not fall into the comparison trap.
The second strategy to increase our joy is to start being thankful. Comparison and wanting what others have blind me from seeing what I already possess. Thankfulness changes our attitude. Focusing on what we do have can free us from a victim mentality, self-pity, and comparison. Having a thankful heart causes me to become more content.
Comparison robs us of joy, while gratitude replenishes our bank account of joy. Every time you give God thanks, you deposit joy into your bank account, making it fuller for later withdrawal. Choose to expand your level of joy by not giving in to comparison and by choosing to be more grateful.
“Strength comes in so many packages that comparing yourself to someone else will always lead you to feeling shortchanged.”
Kris Vallotton
Relevant Reflection:
Which of these two ways to increase your level of joy do you need to apply most in your life and what specific steps will you take to do this?
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