4 minute read 
by Bethany Rees

“Dear…” Series: Many of us put on a brave face or wear a mask to hide our internal struggles with: guilt, fear, comparison, unworthiness, regret, unforgiveness, rejection, anger, and grief. The “Dear…” series is dedicated to shedding light, hope, and freedom on these internal battles that we often face alone. BUT, we are not alone! Because of Jesus, we can win our battles and find freedom.

Dear Comparison,

It’s over! You keep me looking at everyone but God. You either have me looking at the best of other people and the worst of myself, OR looking at the worst of others and congratulating myself at how much better I am.

You tell me about all the things I am not and to show me all the things I don’t have BUT you also have me looking at others' mistakes and praising myself that I am not like them. 

Your whispers in my ears when I scroll social media poison my heart to covet and envy what others have. You keep me from being joyful at the beauty and success of other women, marriages, families, and businesses. 

Your whispers of arrogance and self-righteousness in looking at others' misfortunes turn my heart away from God and towards my own pride. 

You are a relentless thorn in my side, and you work diligently to snare my gratitude and contentment for what God has blessed me with for.

You work to confuse my identity and distract me from my calling by either attacking me with thoughts and attitudes of self-righteousness, or attacking my confidence in Christ (who He is, who He created me to be, and what He created me to do). 

Comparison, you are a thief stealing my joy and God has changed my heart and mind concerning you. 

I Confess: 

You have stolen my joy, hidden my gratitude, belittled my God, masked my authenticity, and distracted me from my calling long enough! I confess that I allowed you to be my first and last thought when engaging with others. It is I that allowed your poison of envy, jealousy, or self-righteousness to fill my head and heart, but now I see you for what you really are: 

• a noise of distraction that pulls my attention away from the calling of the Spirit
• a selfish snare of pride coated in envy and self-righteousness that taints my identity in Christ
• a thief stealing the abundant life God intended for me and all of his children

Psalm 73:2-3 “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.”

I Repent:

Comparison, your presence in my life has kept my eyes looking left and looking right instead of looking up. No more! I now fully give God my heart, mind, and soul. For the gifts He has given me are enough. Now I desire a close relationship with God above the desires of this world. For the more I tether myself to God, the more I will love and obey Him and mute your voice. 

Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10 “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

I Cast Off:

Comparison, in the name of Jesus, I rebuke you. Comparison, you will no longer rot me from the inside. By dying to myself daily and following Jesus I am guarded against you. My heart belongs to Jesus and you no longer have power over my heart, thoughts, gratitude, or joy. 

Proverbs 14:30 “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”

Luke 12:15 “And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”

Matthew 6:19-21“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

I Bless:

In reading God’s word, He reminds me that I do not seek man’s approval but His alone. I will no longer judge my neighbor for good or bad, but simply love them in and through all things. I love the diversity of gifts God has bestowed upon his children. I will consider others' gifts as joy, just as I will be grateful and full of contentment in the gifts God has bestowed upon me. 

Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Romans 13:9 “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Romans 12: 3-6a “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them:”

So Comparison, by the time you read this blog post…know that Jesus has captured my heart and all that I desire is Him. Comparison, I am free of you. 

Know Better. Do Better. Live Better. Be Grateful, Authentic, & Content.

Rocks before Sand!

If you struggle with comparison, I encourage you to read some of my past blog posts: 

• Let’s Be Real: Learning How to Be Authentic
• Time for a New Prescription: Gratitude

Scripture: 

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them:” ~ Romans 12: 3-6a

Theme Song: 

Olivia Rodrigo - jealousy, jealousy (Lyric Video) 

References Used:

• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Bible Verses About Comparison: 

Psalm 73:2-3 “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.”

Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10 “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

Proverbs 14:30 “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”

Luke 12:15 “And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”

Matthew 6:19-21“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Romans 13:9 “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Romans 12: 3-6a “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them:”