Comparison: The Thief of Joy – Jake McCain

My prayer throughout this semester has been a prayer for spiritual strength. Not in the regular sense of the phrase typically used against fear, doubt and anxiety, but to flee from comparison.  I often compare myself to people who receive what I perceive as “special privileges.” As if manhood or holiness is a standard set by people who are given opportunities that I am not- measuring my value on a scale set by others.

Ultimately, it is an identity problem. Finding my identity in approval from other people, my title, or even my sin show a lack of trust in what the Lord is doing in my life. No matter what my emotions say, what culture tells me, or my circumstances, I know what the Bible says about me remains true. “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. The Lord gives life and life abundantly.” John 10:10

Paul writes in Ephesians 3, that according to God’s INFINITE riches in His glory we will be spiritually strengthened! That as we are rooted and grounded in love, His Spirit strengthens us to comprehend the vastness of His great love that surpasses all our understanding. Who am I to understand the mind of God? He’s able to do far more abundantly than anything I can think or imagine! So I rest in the truth that my worth and value is found in God alone. I stop comparing and believe I am uniquely created and loved by the Lord of lords and King of kings.

I am praying for the strength to lean not on my own understanding, but to trust in the Lord’s sovereignty rather than in my fleshly desires. My hope and prayer for 2016 is to not allow comparison to steal my joy.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10: 3-6