How to Thrive in TeenagehoodSample

Comparison

Comparison is something that can lead to destruction as well as distraction from gratitude. There are people to compare ourselves to all around us 24/7- whether it's people you see in real life like others at school and siblings or people you see in blogs, magazines, social media or on TV, it can be hard to escape the comparison cycle. We usually compare ourselves and our life to others because we are trying desperately to please other people. Galatians 1:10 makes it clear we don't need to win everyone over, we need to focus on God "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant to Christ".

We know as Christians we should not be judgemental but that's what comparison can lead to. If we judge ourselves academically against someone else in our class, we are going to feel bad about our work and progress. Therefore this can lead to a lack of motivation, and if we judge how we look compared to someone else we will end up criticising God's work.

We can know our worth because God created us. This is why it's so important to know your triggers for when you start comparing yourself to others. For example, if you know that social media makes you want someone else's life more than you want your own then you can put steps into place to help resolve that. For example, why not take a social media detox and ask God to highlight all the stuff in your life you have to be grateful for. It might not be five-star holidays or a wardrobe full of designer clothing but God is more valuable than worldly goods. Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have".

I love what God said, “never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” When we practice gratitude and congratulate others for their successes, comparisons start to get pushed out. God has got a plan for all of us and we are all on different paths, so comparing ourselves to one another is not constructive at all. The only person we should be imitators of is Jesus as he is our example on how to live our lives. 1 Corinthians 11:1 "follow my example, just like I follow Christ's".

Questions:

What can you identify in your life that triggers comparison?

What boundaries can you put in place to combat this?