I QUIT COMPARING

Things we compare

Possessions (car, house, clothes, salary)

Appearance (hair, body shape, eyes, biceps)

Performance (Job, wife, husband, mom, dad)

Circumstances (kids no kids, married, not married, loved one sick/died)

Something inside of us wants to know am I good enough, pretty enough, smart enough… We have an insatiable desire to be told we are…..accepted and loved!  Thus we compare!!!

WHY DOES GOD HATE IT WHEN WE COMPARE?

• COMPARISON IS THE DEATH OF CONTENTMENT!

 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.

2 Corinthians 10:12

DARE! It kills joy, robs meaning, destroys marriages,

Success in life is not a matter of being inferior or superior it is simply being who God wants you to be not who you wish you were. Read that again! I mean it! Read it again!

• COMPARISON MAKES US PRIDEFUL

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—(make connections)robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ Luke 18: 11-12

In Walmart, my kids would never act like that! Our kids our better than that!

Smoking, I can’t believe they’re smoking, Yea, I’ll have that triple burger with double cheese! lol

C.S. Lewis said it this way: “We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, or better looking than others. If everyone else became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking, there would be nothing to be proud about.”

• 2. COMPARISON MAKES US RESENTFUL

When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. As they danced, they sang:

   “Saul has slain his thousands,

   and David his tens of thousands.”

 Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. 1 Samuel 18:6-9

WE RESENT GOD’S GOODNESS IN OTHERS LIVES AND IGNORE GOD’S BLESSING IN OUR OWN LIFE!

We become resentful! When do I get a break? We're to focused on what everyone else has!

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

1.       Know what you have

(From Prison) I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13

Sometimes we look at our lives and think what could have been instead of what we have! We actually miss out on the life we have! House, Car, Clothes, Kids, Intellect, etc…

2.     Know who you are

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

What does it all mean? It means you are God’s workmanship! You belong to Him!

Quote by George MacDonald, the man C.S. Lewis called his mentor: "I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking."

Samuel Johnson “People need to be reminded a lot more than they need to be instructed”

Let me REMIND you who you are:

I am loved 1John 3:3

I am accepted Ephesians 1:6

I am a child of God John 1:12

I am a joint heir with Christ, Romans 8:17

I am a member of Christ's body. 1 Corinthians 12:27

I am a Saint Ephesians 1:1

I am redeemed and forgiven Colossians 1:14

I am complete in Jesus Christ Colossians 2:10

I am free from condemnation Romans 8:1

I am a new creation because I am in Christ 2Corinthians 5:17

I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved Colossians 3:12

I am God’s workmanship Ephesians 2:10

My daughter and her best friend have a Princess Day every so often. Pastor Jason and I met up with the ladies later in the day for lunch. My wife said our daughter Liberty played the part well! She is a Princess!

Today I pray you learn who you are because in knowing who you are

you know what you don’t have to be! Repeat that a few times!