When we compare and feel lacking we must ask: are the things I wish I had something I could make happen if I put in the work? Could the thing you’re jealous of be something God wants to do in your life? Maybe we shouldn’t shut down comparison and jealousy. Maybe we should bring it to God in humility and ask for His guidance.
You might not be able to change your body type, but could you lose the weight that’s making you unhappy? Could you repaint your kitchen cabinets to give your home a fresher look? Could you reconnect with an estranged relationship? Go to marriage counseling? Work on yourself while you’re single? Get on a budget to have more spending money?
Could God be using comparison and jealousy to point you in a direction He wants you to go?
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This very thing happened to me.
A girl I grew up with seemed to have everything. She was beautiful, full of life, and popular with everyone. I found myself comparing and thinking if I was like her then maybe I would not hate who I was so much.
Through my bout of obsession with this girl’s life, I saw one thing that stood out as a constant.
Jesus.
It was evident her source of strength, hope and confidence came from something bigger than herself and the good news was I could have it too if I put in the work. So I did.
A few years later I got a call from a girl confessing her jealousy of me. She told me, “I find myself thinking that if I could just be like Anna, I would like myself.”
I was able to tell her the same thing God revealed to me: “You don’t want to be me. You just want the freedom you see, and the good news is you can have it if you put in the work.”
The truth is, when we make quick comparisons based on what we see on the outside it keeps us from knowing the heart or story of that person.
Before I learned this, I secretly resented the work of God in other’s lives, especially when that work looked like a success. I was not a nay-sayer, I was a no-sayer. To me, that’s worse. Celebrating the work of God in another person’s life does not diminish the work of God in your own life. In fact, NOT celebrating with others could affect God’s willingness to work through you. If you find yourself resenting the success in other’s lives, break through that stronghold with encouragement, and ask yourself what you need to do to get to work.
