Have you ever wondered why we compare ourselves to others? We do it all the time! Do you ever feel like your not quite measuring up? To what you think God expects from you? To your own expectations of yourself? To other peoples expectations of you?
Measuring up is about perfection...and our lack of it.
I really battle with comparing myself to others sometimes...I find myself saying things like "Aaah...God why can't I be as spiritual as her" (sense my whiny, whingey tone ;) or "I wish I could pray like him", or "I wish I could sing like her" etc. I think there is something inside of us that makes us want to pull out our measuring sticks and hold them up to the people around us. Its horrible! Im not saying that we should isolate ourselves or withdraw from the awareness of others, or that we should dismiss the examples of what is attainable for each and every one of us through the people God portrays to us in the Bible, but I don't think we should compare ourselves to them. I think if we do, it can be really dangerous and destructive because comparing ourselves to others can leave us with feelings of inadequacy, which can not only make you bitter, jealous and resentful, but when we get obsessed with comparing ourselves to others, it also draws our focus to OURSELVES instead of GOD.
I think we all get caught in the trap of striving to measure up...we focus on ourselves and I don't think that was ever Gods plan. We are designed to focus on Him, that's the way He made us. So shifting our attention from ourselves to God should change our perspective. God longs for our obsession to be on Him. "I am the Lord, that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols." Isaiah 42:8
Every one of us suffers from a standard of perfection that's impossible to attain, and it leaves us with feelings of inadequacy and guilt...and the hard truth is, (bold statement to follow)...NONE of us can measure up to the perfect standard of Jesus. NONE OF US! And God knows this! Which is why, thankfully, we are saved by GRACE, and NOT our perfection. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift from God, not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight making know to us the mystery of His will, according to his purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in HIm, things in heaven and things on earth." Ephesians 1:7-10
However, should we still strive to be living lives that make God smile everyday??? YES!!! And yes, we should be aware of the areas of ourselves that need improvement, but I think God intends that we should "grow and bloom where we are planted" so to speak, that we should thrive in our own God given uniqueness so that we can all function together as a healthy body in Christ...and we all have our own part to play!
"For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body." 1 Corinthians 12:14-20.
God made us in His image and knit us together in our mothers womb. He has searched us and He knows us. He knows every word before you speak it. Every prayer before you pray it. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your purpose is to be a God-loving you. So why are we constantly trying to live up to the ideals and expectations of others? Maybe instead, we should start pursuing the passions that are written on our own hearts. Our own God given passions. Our role in the body of Christ is important! I think God wants us to stop trying to measure up to everyone else around us and be content in Him. You were made to be you, just like I was made to be me, and you are called to be uniquely you, for Him.
God loves us with an overwhelming, perfect love, and His mercy reaches past ALL of our inadequacies, our inferiorities, our imperfections and our weaknesses. Through the shed blood of Christ, Jesus came to earth to REMOVE these measuring sticks by which we measure ourselves and those around us. Gods grace is not bound by limits and it is a gift for anyone that seeks Him sincerely. We should find comfort and peace in Him, the one who gives us the gift of Grace...abundantly!
"Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". Romans 5:20.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." 2 Corinthians 13:14
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