If You Are Going to Compare Yourself, Compare Yourself to Christ!

S-Do What You Should

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-God's Gift of Freedom

L-Personal Satisfaction

"Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct." Galatians 6:4-5

It's something the Lord taught me along time ago. "Stay in your own lane! Keep your eyes on Me and work hard at what I have called you to do."

This is a lesson that many of us struggle with today. Why? Because we are always meddling in the business of others. What they are doing, trying to out do them. It's that saying, "Keeping up with the Jones'."

The desire for personal satisfaction, has been taken way out of context. The personal satisfaction Paul is speaking of here, is the personal satisfaction of serving Christ and others, working hard with the gifts God has given us, and doing what He has called us to do not what our flesh wants us to.

There is a big difference here. More times than not, we begin to compare ourselves to others. What they have, their success, their appearance, or even their shortcomings. So much so, we become consumed with trying to either be like them, be better than them, or make ourselves feel better because of their flaws. The problem is, when we act in this manner, we dishonor God. Because He sees discontentment, unhappiness, and worldliness, jealousy, and insecurity, rather than thanksgiving, praise, honor, love and joy.

At the end of our life, when we stand before the Lord, we will be evaluated for what we have done for Him and with the gifts He has given us. So if we spend more time comparing ourselves to others rather than to Him, well, it's probably not going to be a very good day for many.

Can't you just hear Christ on that day,"Well _________ I gave you so many wonderful things, filled you with some really awesome gifts, but you spent more time discontent, disappointed, and comparing yourself to others, that you missed out on My purpose for you. When you could have produced seed bearing fruit for My kingdom, you didn't. Instead you produced, insecurity, disappointment in yourself and others, you became consumed with the things of this world, you taught your children more about self than you did hard work, selflessness and Me."

Brethren, lets stay in our own lanes, lets remove anything that causes us to compare ourselves to others and what they have and are doing. Lets work hard because we love and desire to please the Lord rather than man. When we do this, we feel good at the end of the day, our hard work and love for Christ points others to Him and shows our obedience to Him. Let's stop trying to please and find praise from man. It is Christ we are to compare ourselves too, and it is Christ we are to desire praise from.

Finally, lets take responsibility for our own conduct, our own actions, our own behavior, and stop blaming others or feeling sorry for ourselves because we think someone else has it better. You have no idea what it has been like for them, where they have been, or the struggles and trials they endured to get where they are. Just stick to the lane God has placed you in. For then at the end of this life, there will be a great reward awaiting you in heaven.

S-Share your heart with God, confess to Him areas you have been lazy, compared, been jealous, envious, and have done things with the wrong motives to be praised by man rather than Him. Then let Him cleanse you, place you back in your lane, and use you to bring honor and glory to His name.