By Christianity.com | Created at 2025-01-25 05:44:36 | Updated at 2025-01-27 17:02:48
2 days ago
When we begin to detox from comparison, we will find ourselves wrestling to let go of competition. As C.S. Lewis observed, “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.” Well said, Jack. Well said.
But removing competition doesn’t just address pride; it also alleviates insecurity. After all, pride and insecurity are opposite sides of the same coin. Whether we see ourselves as above or below others, we’re still caught in the trap of comparison. But if removing competition removes pride from those who think they are above others, then it also removes insecurity from those who think they are below.
II Corinthians 10:12 (NIV) warns, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” Measuring ourselves against others in competition is a fool’s errand, causing us to wander from the unique path God has for us in search of someone else’s approval, perhaps someone we don’t even know. As Galatians 1:10 (NIV) reminds us, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?” Living to please people is competing to catch up either to them or our perception of them. But knowing one’s identity in Christ frees us from that circular track from which no runner escapes.
All people and all seasons are not the same—and that’s okay. Yet, the speed of life and the pattern of comparison can blur this reality. What if we resolved instead to embrace our seasons of life for what they are instead of always trying to catch up with what they once were or what we think they are for others? Where you are right now: that’s the life you’ve been given. It is a gift to be stewarded, not a weight that makes us strive. Stewardship—not striving—should define our daily living. As 1 Corinthians 4:7 (AMP) says, “What do you have that you did not receive [from another]? And if, in fact, you received it [from God or someone else], why do you boast as if you had not received it [but had gained it by yourself]?”
You should neither boast nor despair. In all things, you’re seen and valued. Therefore, you are free to know yourself and know your season.
So, as you enter the early months of a new year, consider adopting the following question as a daily reflection: where is my confidence today? Is it in fleeting comparisons, or is it rooted in God’s unchanging love for me, a love I’m actually experiencing? If we can align our hearts with the truth that for each of us, specialness is given, not earned, we’ll find freedom from the competition and insecurity that comparison brings. After all, God is never done giving, so what makes us special is always increasing.
Finally, the Pilgrim’s Credo is an incredible set of truths that detoxes the soul from comparison and aligns it with rightfully aligned confidence. I often repeat these words, taking deep breaths between each line. Try it, won’t you? You will feel yourself beginning to detox from the heaviness of comparison.
I am not in control.
I am not in a hurry.
I walk in faith and hope.
I greet everyone with peace.
I bring back only what God gives me.
Related Resource: Avoiding the Comparison Trap in Your Career
In this episode of my podcast, Jonnie and I have a conversation about the trap of comparison and how to enjoy the one life you've been given. We make a lot of resolutions this time of year, things we plan to do... but is there anything you ought to "undo" as the new year begins? If you laughed out loud listening to this episode, be sure to subscribe to Talk About That on Apple and Spotify!
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Farknot_Architect
Listen to John's Podcast! A nerdy humorist at heart, John is a former History teacher who has been featured on Good Morning America and numerous other shows and podcasts. On his weekly podcast, Talk About That, John goes toe-to-toe with best friend and comedian Jonnie W. in hilariously real and genuinely insightful conversations about life, history, current culture, faith—and everything in between. He earned a B.A. in History and a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Tennessee. He lives near Nashville with his wife and daughter, where he has served as an executive and teaching pastor at The Church At Pleasant Grove for over twenty years.
