We Live in a World of Comparison
Have you ever noticed really how much we compare ourselves to the world on a daily basis? I mean honestly, we do it much more than I think we even realize.
That’s because from the time we’re mere babies, we are set on this course of comparison. Does our height and weight match up with others our age? How’s our development? Are we hitting our milestones? Are we making the grades? Are we making the team?
Don’t get me wrong, comparison can be a positive way to make sure that we are developing well and learn whether we need extra support along the way.
However, it also teaches us to constantly look to others to determine whether we are good enough. We think that as long as we’re “average,” or fitting in, we must be doing ok. As long as we’re keeping up with everyone else, we’re doing just fine. And we take that lesson and apply it to every aspect of our lives.
Are we strong enough?
Are we thin enough?
Are we kind and accepting…enough?
We are so engrained to believe that our value comes from how we stack up to others that we struggle when life throws us a curveball and we get knocked down, and feel like we aren’t enough.
…And then what?
The World’s View
The world loves these moments…the moments where you feel so lost, you don’t know where to turn, because the world loves to tell you what you want to hear. It loves to scoop you up, dump you in a bubble bath and call it a day because you ARE enough, those babies were just crazy and you need your chocolate and your trashy tv show and then you’ll feel more like yourself.
The world will spoon-feed your flesh whatever it wants to hear to keep you in that cycle. But have you ever noticed that while that bubble bath and chocolate might have felt good in that moment, the benefits were short-lived and you ultimately had to return to the difficult situation and start the cycle all over again. You may be able to relate to everybody else and know just what you need to feel better after a hard day…but it really doesn’t give you any progress.
Logic Tells Us…
Logic tells us that when we don’t measure up, or we “aren’t enough,” then we must be “NOT enough.”
Did you catch the difference there?
The first describes the lack of ability, the second is an identity.
When we stack ourselves up to others and fall short over and over again, we start to develop the mindset that we can’t do anything right.
We become paralyzed with the need to find purpose and value in anything we do and when we can’t, we simply do nothing.
The Truth Is…
The Truth is that we aren’t enough…and that might feel like a hard pill for our flesh to swallow, but we were also never created to be “enough.”
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NIV
See, this truth shouldn’t make us depressed or paralyzed in fear of doing anything.
It should make us liberated!
It releases us from the comparison game and keeping up with the Jones’.
We don’t have to be enough because that’s not how the incredible, all-powerful God of the universe designed us to be. He didn’t create mankind to be a bunch of self-reliant robots that say and do whatever they are designed to do. He created imperfect people that would need a perfect God for everything so that we can build a lasting, trusting relationship with Him.
With THAT understanding, when we fall on our face and cry out to Jesus, it makes sense. When our identity is firmly planted in Christ, then relying on Him and His will everyday is just part of the journey and He gives us peace in that.
He doesn’t NEED US for anything, but he wants us to NEED HIM for everything.
So When You Don’t Feel Like Enough…
Reach for Him.
Spend time in prayer and tell Him you don’t feel like you could do it all today.
Pour your heart out and let Him comfort you and remind you that you are His child and He designed you to need Him.
And then let Him guide you into what He has for you. Maybe you’re overwhelmed because you’re trying to do too many things during a season in your life where you’re just supposed to be raising babies.
Or maybe you are overwhelmed with the amount of different interests you have and things you want to accomplish.
Ask Him for wisdom and discernment, for direction and peace about the things that he has for you and the actions that He wants you to take.
And then when you feel like He is giving you clarity, take action.
But don’t stop there. Continue to seek Him every step of the way and if you don’t see the whole picture, just trust Him for the next step…and then the next…and then the next…until you’re doing something you never could’ve predicted and you’re on this incredible ride that you never could’ve imagined yourself doing and continue to give Him glory for putting you there.
While we aren’t ENOUGH on our own, we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Christ! and we can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives us strength. That’s where we get our power.
