The Trap of Comparison
By Emily Rose Massey
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2, NKJV).
It doesn’t take long to realize Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Pinterest, Twitter, and other social media platforms are huge doors to comparison. Our eyes begin to get fixated on earthly things instead of things of the Kingdom and God's plan for our lives. This often negatively impacts our decision-making. Regarding material things, we may start spending money we don't have and are not just trying to "keep up with the Joneses" but everyone else in the entire world! People's lives are constantly on display, and it is a great temptation for us to become dissatisfied and unthankful for what God has given us. We become unhappy. Not only that, but we also aren’t happy for one another. "Everyone is getting married, having babies, getting an education, buying a house, getting a raise, a new job, a new car, pursuing their dreams, making connections to further their job/ministry, traveling, wearing the latest fashions, making more money, going on vacation, losing weight, AND WHY NOT ME?!” we think to ourselves. This type of mentality makes us question God’s goodness as we start to wonder if He is withholding things from us.
We might know in our head God is good, but is it rooted in our hearts and applied to our lives? The struggle happens when we fix our eyes on ourselves and becomes worse as we compare or judge others. We begin believing lies and drawing conclusions, consumed with jealousy. James calls this type of thinking worldly and even demonic (James 3:15). When our fixation is on the temporal, as believers, Paul tells us in Colossians that we need to look up:
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1-2, NKJV).
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Paul urges us to "put to death [our] members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them" (Colossians 3:5-7, NKJV). Covetousness is idolatry. When we covet, compare, and live in jealousy and envy over something that someone else is experiencing, we are worshiping what we don't have. Whether material things, a person, or a situation, that thing, situation, person, or position is now placed above God and God's plan for our lives. We have made that thing, situation, person, or position an idol in our lives. We become self-centered and too concerned about our lives. We have put on “self-glasses.”
“Self-glasses” distort our vision and heart posture towards God and others. Practically, this means God isn’t enough for us. These glasses also create a victim mentality of comparing and complaining, leading to discontentment. Before long, we will doubt God and begin to take control of our own lives. Lifting our gaze upwards like Colossians 3 advises shifts our perspective, and we begin to see how God is fully enough. This perspective shift helps us believe the truth about God’s sovereignty, other people, and ourselves. It’s best to keep our eyes on Jesus and His Word. When we cling to and abide in Him, we remain full of His love. Nothing else can satisfy. We won't want anything else than what He has for us. His promises for us are more than enough. We will begin to trust God with all our hearts and lean on His understanding, not our own. As we do, He will direct our paths and never lead us astray.
Further Reading:
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Tim Robberts
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