3 Truths About Comparison Everyone Needs To Know

Rachel Ruth

I woke up to the sound of gentle rain this morning gracefully showering the earth and rhythmically brushing past my window. In a moment of complete peace and contentment at the start of my day—I couldn’t help but think to myself, I wish I could sit with YOU in a bay window all day with a cup of tea and admire the rain while we chat about life; learn your story, listen to your heart and offer meaningful insight in return.

I unfortunately do not have the luxury of doing so nor is it feasible to personally meet each one of you in a single day, but the power of the internet can bridge the gap between us with a single email! Visit the Let’s Talk page to connect with me any day. Thankfully I also have this blog space to communicate with you and I’m determined to do what I can to build you up!

If we were chatting in the comfort of a bay window, I imagine we would discover common ground—whether it be a similar past experience or present circumstance. Whatever the commonalities may be, I guarantee one struggle would be relatable across the board—comparison.

It’s difficult for anyone to abstain from comparing themselves to others, let along girls! (Am I right?!) I know this because I’m speaking from experience. I can remember comparing myself to others as early on as 1^st grade! It starts with clothes, academics, boys (why does he have a crush on her over me?) then into junior high and high school it’s about body image, popularity and more boys; then you think it’ll all be better in college but the cycle continues and you compare majors, life ambitions, accolades and boys become candidates for your “Husband Hunt”, you have it all planned out until you finish college and now you tackle the comparisons of life—where do you work, what are you doing, what master degree do you have, why aren’t you married or have kids like your peers already do; after you are married you compare your role as wife to other wifeys, when you’re a mother you compare yourself to other mothers, your kids to other kids, perhaps even the state of your marriage and trajectory of your career! The point is it never ends and at the end of the day we are left feeling defeated and discouraged.

Most of us are familiar with the phrase “Comparison is the thief of joy” and while I believe that to be true, I also believe comparison is harmful because it’s what we use to measure our worth.

My dear friends, that falsehood could not be further from the truth! Our worth is not found in nor should be measured by our comparison to others. Here are three reasons why…

1. Our Focus Should Be to Please God

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.”

2. We Are Each Created to Fulfill A Uniquely Designed Purpose

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

3. Comparison to Others Bears No Fruit

2 Corinthians 10:12 “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

I’d like to make one last remark to sum things up—finding your worth in comparing yourself to others is a faulty unit of measure because your silhouette is one of a kind. Your silhouettes, my lovelies, are incomparable.  

This song perfectly speaks to how precious you are being the Only One and Only You. I hope it encourages you as it did me.