Why Comparison Steals Your Joy…

This was supposed to be published on Sunday, but it has been a rough few days and I forgot to put it up. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

They say comparison is the thief of joy and they’re right. In a world where we scroll through endless highlight reels on social media and watch other people’s lives unfold in picture-perfect snapshots, it’s so easy to feel like we’re falling short. And if I’m honest, I’ve battled this more times than I’d like to admit. Especially in my walk with Christ.

When I came back to church in 2021, I was excited but also insecure. I wanted to grow, but I felt like I was always behind. My three closest friends seemed to know Scripture more deeply, pray more eloquently, and walk more confidently in their faith. I couldn’t help but look at them and think, Why isn’t my faith like that? Why am I not growing as fast as they are? Even after getting baptized in 2023, I still wrestled with it. I told myself, If I were really serious about God, I’d be further along by now. I’d be more disciplined. I’d be more spiritual. The more I compared, the less joy I felt in the progress I was actually making and that’s exactly what comparison does. It blinds us to the beauty of what God is already doing in our own lives.

So let’s start with some of the reasons that comparison steals your joy.

1. It shifts our eyes off Jesus.
   Peter knew this firsthand. When he stepped out of the boat to walk on water, he was fine until he looked around at the waves. The moment his eyes shifted off Jesus, he started sinking (Matthew 14:29–30). Comparison works the same way. Instead of focusing on Christ, we fix our gaze on others and lose sight of where He’s leading us.

2. It breeds discontent.
   Comparison says, I don’t have enough. I’m not enough. God isn’t doing enough. That mindset leaves no room for gratitude. Instead of rejoicing over God’s blessings, we resent what we think is missing.

3. It distorts identity.
   God didn’t create us to be carbon copies of each other. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” When we compare, we reject the unique calling and design God has given us.

4. It steals joy.
   Simply put, joy and comparison can’t coexist. Joy celebrates progress, no matter how small. Comparison despises it because it doesn’t measure up to someone else’s standard.

The Bible speaks to this struggle more than we realize.

• Galatians 6:4–5: “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.”

• Hebrews 12:1–2: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Notice—our race, not someone else’s.

• John 21:22: When Peter asked Jesus about John’s future, Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Jesus gently redirected Peter’s focus: Don’t worry about him—just follow Me.

These verses remind us that God never called us to someone else’s journey. He called us to follow Him, step by step, on the path He’s designed for us.

So how do we stop comparison from robbing us of joy? Here are some steps that have helped me:

1. Shift from comparison to celebration.
   Instead of envying someone else’s progress, celebrate it. Rejoice with them. Their growth doesn’t diminish yours. It magnifies God’s goodness.

2. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
   Start your day in prayer and Scripture before you scroll social media or measure yourself against others. Fix your eyes on Him first, and let everything else find its place afterward.

3. Practice gratitude daily.
   Write down three things you’re thankful for each day. Gratitude kills comparison because it opens your eyes to what God is already doing in your life.

4. Embrace your own race.
   God has entrusted you with a unique calling. Focus on faithfulness, not speed. Progress in Christ is not a competition. It’s a personal journey of transformation.

5. Remind yourself of truth.
   When comparison creeps in, combat it with Scripture. Say this out loud. “I am God’s workmanship. I am running the race marked out for me. My worth is in Christ, not in comparison.”

If you’ve been measuring your walk against someone else’s, take a deep breath. The people you’re comparing yourself to? They don’t have it all together either. They have struggles, doubts, and weak spots too. The truth is this that people may seem to be ahead of you, but God isn’t grading you on speed or performance. As a matter of fact, He is looking for performers or actors at all. He delights in your next step, no matter how small. Comparison may try to steal your joy, but Jesus came to give you life, and life abundantly (John 10:10) So keep showing up. Keep seeking. Keep walking. Your race is your own, and your Heavenly Father is cheering you on every step of the way.

With grace and gratitude,

Brianna