I think at one point or another in everyone's life they have wanted what someone else has. I know I am guilty of this, so let's take it a step further. Have you ever wished you could have someone else's life? On social media, it may look like their life is perfect. They have the perfect job, friend group, family, husband, and in your mind, they have never faced any problems in their life. The problem with social media, however, is that it is a highlight reel. No one is showing their failures, mental illness, family problems, or mid-week meltdowns.
The biggest drawback with comparison is that it kills your ability to see what the Lord is doing in your life right now. There is always something to be thankful for. Psalm 23:1 tells us that, "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing." It is so easy to read that verse, but not accept it. It does not mean that the Lord will give us everything that we want or desire but that he is a good father that meets all our needs. Jesus has a unique plan for everyone. He has a great purpose for each one of his children. In Jeremiah 29:11 it states, "For I know the plans I have for you," "declares the Lord", "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
I want to point out in this verse Jesus has a plan to prosper you and a plan for hope. I do not know about you, but when I am comparing myself on social media, I do not feel like I am prospering. Instead, envy rears its ugly head in my heart and does not allow me to see all the blessings I have in my life, it only allows me to see what I lack. However, since I am a Christian and a child of God, I know from Psalm 23 that I lack nothing. To be a Christian means that you are choosing to follow Christ at all costs and to follow whatever he calls you to. Jesus has a different call for each one of us, but that's what makes up the body of Christ.
What can you do today to kill comparison in your life? Maybe that's taking a break from social media or maybe it is simply going to the Lord in prayer and asking him for help with comparison. The Lord knows our heart, struggles, and desires. He simply wants us to come to him in prayer in full surrender of his plan for our lives. Someone else's accomplishments do not take away from what the Lord is doing in your life. So Christian, let's celebrate each other and celebrate all the Lord has done in our own lives and the lives of those around us.