Dare to Compare....

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

We are raised to compare things. Find the objects in this picture that are not in the others. What makes an orange different from an apple? And way too often, we are asked the question, “Why are they different fromus?”

Lately the Compare Bear has been growling in the back of my brain. A friend goes on the same weight loss program as me and loses 22 pounds. I gain six. A sibling finds a job in four days, whereas I have not been able to find one in three years—thus I am a struggling, full-time writer. A fellow author lands an agent after writing for six months, and I have had 15 rejections in three years, even though many people who purchased the novel I self-published say it’s the best they have read in a long, long time.

I feel like crying out to God, “Why do I always fail?Why can’t something good happen to me for a change?” No one said life is fair, but I’d like a fair break— just once.

I was recently brought to my knees by the daily Bible verse app on my smart phone. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”(Proverbs 3:5). In studying the Bible I have learnt that everyone has his or her own wilderness journey in which God provides just enough manna along the way. At times, it’s hard to see that other people besides me have these wilderness experiences.

For instance, a dear woman, whom I thought had the perfect marriage, confessed how controlling her husband, really is. Another friend, who is so pretty she could be a model, was diagnosed with a malignant tumor for the third time in five years. In a period of three days God told me over and over not to compare because I can’t see the whole picture—only snippets here and there. I have been concentrating on individual trees when He tends the entire forest. Once again, I bow my head and promise to trust His wisdom in my life. I tell the Compare Bear to slither away and leave me alone.

My mom was always a “glass is half-full” sort of person. I was raised with a Pollyanna attitude. But somewhere along the way, I began to slip and slide down the hill of compare into the mire of jealousy. Lately, I have been staring into my glass of blessings and whining because it is not overflowing, when really is it more than I can swallow.

Do I believe God is in control? Yes. Do I believe He loves me? Of course. Then why am I so worried about others’ timelines? This is not a competition. This is a life lived to the glory of God. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said not to be anxious about anything but to seek first the kingdom. Then all that I need will be given to me. (Matthew 6:25,33)

If I truly believe the above verse, then God has this all planned out. I may never get an agent, but my novel may save a marriage or win a soul for Christ. I may not find a job, but I am eking by and to be honest, I love working out of my house. And what about my weight? Perhaps I need to count my blessings more than I am counting calories. Perhaps I need to concentrate more on daily ingesting His Word than what food choices I make, lest I turn dieting into an idol.

Compare Bear, crawl back into the woods. My Lord is leading me to green pastures and still waters. Along the way, He will provide. - PTC

Heavenly Lord, Thank you for loving us so dearly. Thank you that You know exactly what we need, when we need it. Forgive us when we do not thank You or take what You give begrudgingly and compare it to what we think someone else has. Help us to once again realize You have no favorites. We are each the apple of your eye, and Your Son died for each of us so we might live in You and You in us. Give us joy in this journey called our lives, and let us see evidence of Your blessings each and every day. Amen.