Death by Comparison
Comparison is like cheese in a mousetrap. If you take a bite of it, it can lead to death.
(Okay I know that sounds extreme, but follow me here.)
Do you ever know you’re about to do something that will hurt you later on, but you do it anyways?
Like eating an entire gallon of ice cream in one sitting,
Not wearing sunscreen,
Procrastinating on a huge project,
Wearing new heels to a formal event without breaking them in yet,
...Or the stuff that’s a lot harder to admit (and easier to hide), like
Creeping on your ex,
Or worse - creeping on your ex’s new girlfriend,
Living vicariously through other people’s Instagram feeds,
Checking to see if certain friends follow you or like your posts,
Spending your Friday night watching other people’s Snapchat or Instagram stories,
Reading and re-reading old text messages,
Constantly reliving “the good old times” in your camera roll,
Or whatever you do to self-sabotage.
Everyone has the traps they fall for, and they’re all death disguised as free cheese.
It tastes good for a second (I mean, who can resist free cheese!?), but before you know it you find yourself caught up in it and in so much pain.
10/10 times, these comparison traps trigger whispers of lack, which trigger debilitating lies, which trigger paralyzing insecurity, which triggers death - the death of your contentment or self-worth, and ultimately, your joy.
Comparison is the trap I seem to always find myself stuck in, and it SUCKS. Especially when I choose to willingly walk into it, because I SHOULD KNOW BETTER BY NOW. I really should. I know the things that get to me, and yet I always seem to give into them. I can never resist the dang cheese - figuratively (and very literally).
What comparison does is heighten the places where you are starving or are feeling lack. And if your eyes are fixed on those things, it can and will keep you from where God is trying to take you. Because you’ll be too tripped up or caught up or completely stuck by the things you want but don’t have (like nicer hair or a better body or a different job or a relationship or a more exciting life or -fill in the blank-)...or even by the things you once had but don’t anymore (Comparing the past to the present can really get ya sometimes; I’ve been there.).
Since I’ve obviously really committed to this mousetrap analogy, I’m throwing in this Ratatouille clip.
https://youtu.be/oFaffLQGx7k?t=97
You can watch the whole thing if you want, but I just wanted to show you how he dodged that trap like a boss. Remy was starving, yet he resisted the cheese because he recognized the trap.
Start recognizing the comparison traps in your life.
And if you already know what some of those things are, please stop falling for them. (And TRUST ME, I’m saying this as much to myself as I am to you.)
I’ve come to find out (the hard way) that comparison leads to dead ends, and nobody’s got time for that. God is trying to take us somewhere. He wants to give us a better view of ourselves and of our lives. (Even MORE beautiful than that view of Paris at the end of that Ratatouille clip.) Pixar sure can create a beautiful picture, but they ain’t got nothin on God & His picture of you.
Let Him show you His view of you.
“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:4)
You have the willpower and perseverance to resist every trap set before you, and soon, it will come as second nature.
In the meantime, keep in tune with His voice. Keep your eyes focused on Him. If that means spending less time on your phone or on the Internet, do it. If that means listening to worship music when you’re alone to silence the thoughts of comparison and lies, do it. If that means deleting a few apps that trip you up, do it. If that means putting sticky notes everywhere reminding yourself of the way He sees you, do it. Do what you’ve gotta do to swerve those traps.
Let Him lead you and fight your weaknesses with you. Let God satisfy your soul and fill the voids of your heart.
You’ve already got everything you need. In Him, you are full and complete and not lacking a single thing.
If you’re having a hard time believing that and/or you keep finding yourself stuck in those stupid comparison traps, here’s a simple print out for you. Someone sent me this two years ago, and I've held it tight since. Put it somewhere you will see it every day (I currently have it taped on my bathroom mirror).
xoxo