15 Eye-Opening Bible Verses About Comparison
Looking for Bible Verses About comparison? Last week, I opened Instagram and saw a post from a childhood friend celebrating the achievement of a milestone in her life. I was genuinely happy for her, but a part of me wondered when it would be my turn to celebrate like that.
I consider myself a confident and secure person, but even for the most confident people, there are still days when we ask Why me? Or Why not me?. Comparison steals joy. It can leave us feeling dissatisfied with where we are and questioning God’s perfect plan for us.
Comparison can lead to envy, self-doubt, depression, and a lot of other things that God doesn’t want us to experience as His children. I struggled with comparison, and truthfully, some days I still do. Freedom came when I found Bible verses about comparison in the Bible.
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What Does the Bible Say About Comparison?
One of the best parts about reading the Bible is discovering the many applicable lessons we can draw from the examples in the Bible. Many stories in the Bible show us how comparison can ruin lives and relationships. Here are 3 stories in the Bible that illustrate comparison.
The Prodigal Son – Luke 15:11-32
You may be familiar with sibling rivalry, maybe even too familiar. Sibling rivalry is common in our world, and it is comforting to know that it exists in the Bible as well. The story of the older brother and the prodigal son reminds us not to base our self-worth on the recognition that others get.
In this story, a wealthy man has two sons. The younger son asks him for an early inheritance only to squander the money. He returns after a while with his tail between his legs and is met with so much love and affection. The father even throws a party for him.
This leaves the older brother, who had been serving the father diligently, feeling unappreciated. If I were the older brother, my feelings would be hurt too, but the father responds by reminding him that his efforts have always been appreciated, and encourages him to rejoice with his younger brother.
Joseph and his brothers- Genesis 37:3-4, 18-25
Joseph had 10 older brothers who hated him. They hated him because their father loved him much more than he loved them. Their comparison of their father’s love led them to sell Joseph into slavery. Actually, they intended to kill him but one of the brothers had a change of heart. The comparison led to jealousy, hatred and attempted murder. Comparison, if left unresolved, can lead to many greater sins.
Leah and Rachel – Genesis 29:15-35, 30:1-24
Rachel and Leah were sisters who married the same man. Their husband, Jacob, wanted to marry Rachel because he loved her and found her attractive, but he was tricked into marrying Leah.
This led to Leah and Rachel living in constant competition. They each gave their maids to sleep with Jacob, in an attempt to win the competition. Rachel and Leah spent so much time focusing on comparing themselves with each other, rather than enjoying a relationship with their family.
How do you Fight Comparison?
Fighting comparison is no small feat! Some days we win the battle, and on other days it gets the better part of us. The goal is to keep working towards who God created us to be – beautifully unique.
There is no perfect way to fight comparison, but there are multiple tools we can combine to keep our minds focused on the positive things God is doing through and for us.
Here are 3 steps you can take to avoid falling into the comparison trap:
Practice gratitude: ‘Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.’ – Philippians 4:6. Thanking God for who He has made you to be reminds you that you are enough. When you practice gratitude, it opens your heart to what God is doing for you, and you compare yourself to others less.
Limit the time spent on social media: However useful it may be, social media exposes us to the lives of others in a way that can make us feel like we are underachieving. It fuels the idea that we have to achieve certain standards to be relevant or liked. This is not only inaccurate, but it is also very harmful. To avoid comparison, limit the time spent on social media and spend more time connecting with people in ‘real life’.
Develop strengths: Just as God made all parts of the human body different but useful, God has made us all different, but he has equipped us with gifts and abilities to accomplish the purpose for which He created us. When you focus on developing your strengths, you have less time to stress about your insecurities and even less time to worry about what others are doing or not doing.
Bible Verses About Comparison
“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 NLT
Comparison can also make us wrongfully think we are better than others. We should aim for a life of harmony rather than rivalry.
“Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” Romans 12:2 NLT
Comparison is a work of the flesh. God’s desire for us to rise above comparison by discerning God’s will for our lives.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NLT
You are exactly where God wants you to be, trust that He will cause all things to work in your favour. No need to compare.
“ Don’t long for ‘the good old days.’ This is not wise.” Ecclesiastes 7:10 NLT
Don’t think your past is better than your present. God has great things in store for you. Don’t compare.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1 NLT
Comparison weighs you down. It stops you from focusing on what is ahead of you. Just as athletes in a race keep their eyes focused on the road ahead, so you should focus on the journey God has set before you and not where others are going.
Bible Verses About Comparing Yourself to Others
“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.” Galatians 6: 4 NLT
Appreciate the work God is doing in your life with humility. Be satisfied with your achievements instead of focusing on others.
“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous—how well I know it.” Psalm 139:14 NLT
It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing your looks to that of others. Be assured that God made you beautiful and unique.
“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” Romans 12:4-5 NLT
Your spiritual gifts are not less or more important than the gifts of others. Use your gifts to glorify God instead of comparing your abilities to the abilities of others
“A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.” Proverbs 14:30 NLT
Comparison can lead to jealousy, and jealousy fills the heart with bitterness and hatred. Don’t let comparison steal your joy.
“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’” Isaiah 45:9 NLT
Everything God made is perfect and intended to accomplish a specific purpose. Comparing yourself to others is like telling God he made a mistake when creating you.
“Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5 NLT
Be content with what God has given you and be grateful that He will always meet your needs.
“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:10 NLT
Our standards are set by God, and not the actions of others. Don’t compare yourself to others to meet earthly standards.
“After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” 1 Timothy 6: 7-8 NLT
As morbid as it sounds, we will all die one day, what a waste it would be to spend precious time comparing ourselves to others when we could be content with what we have.
“Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!” 2 Corinthians 10:12 NLT
Life is not a popularity contest. This scripture reminds us that it is ignorant to use others as our standard of measurement.
“For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” James 3:16 NLT
The world is filled with people who selfishly want to achieve their ambition, at the expense of others. This is fuelled by comparison and the desire to out-compete others. The Bible warns us that these actions are not of God.
Comparison in the Bible
Comparison takes your eyes off what God is doing for you and turns your attention toward the distractions around you. In Jeremiah 29:11, God reminds us that His plans for us are good, to give us a future and a hope. God’s plan for you is perfect. Stop comparing yourself to what you think is a better version.
We may think our looks, our jobs or our lives are not as good as someone else’s, but God knows what is best for us and will give it to us at the right time. If you ever find yourself battling with comparison, refer to these Bible verses about comparing yourself to others and trust God’s word to heal your heart.
