(If this is your first time visiting the blog, thank you for stopping by! I’d encourage you to go back and read Parts 1-2 of this series first, and then meet us back here!)
In the conclusion of part two of this series, I posed a question (restated here for greater clarity): How do the tactics of Satan apply to the sin of comparison?
Reflecting on my experience driving down the main street of our town (refer to part one), I realize that the enemy began to manipulate me with thoughts contrary to the Word of God, making me feel alone and doubtful. He exploited my confusion and twisted the Word in my heart, leading to pridefulness and causing me to freeze in fear. This ultimately led me to question God’s care for me. All that in a matter of seconds, that’s how the enemy works. Then after I messed up, all I wanted to do was quit and retreat into my pride for self-preservation. I tried to hide. Isn’t that exactly what happened in the Garden?
We’ve already gone through how the enemy’s tactics applied to this incident in the Garden (refer to part two). Now, yes, we can see that once they were aware of the manipulation and subsequent failure, their first response was to hide themselves. Unfortunately, or perhaps very fortunately, we cannot hide from the Lord God.
Fast forward 20 years, and I want to share how God has consistently used the metaphor of “staying in my lane” in a spiritual sense, throughout my life. As I mentioned earlier, we can be “cruising along,” feeling secure and content in our walk with the Lord. However, there are times when we suddenly find ourselves drifting off course due to Satan’s wiles, as the KJV refers to them. We may start to slip into someone else’s lane, comparing our lives to theirs. In those moments, we might feel cheated, discontented, inadequate, or even lonely. This all too often leads to sinful responses.
The moment when my aunt chimed in reminds me of this exchange that the Lord had with Adam.
One can sense the emotion in Adam’s voice, and it resonates with many of us, having been in a similar situation. As I have pointed out, Satan lacks creativity and has not changed since the days of the Garden of Eden. Humanity shares in that struggle of not changing much. Similar to Adam and Eve, we often find ourselves vulnerable to deceptive influences, and in times of distress, we hesitate to fully embrace God’s promises. It is all too easy then to drift off course comparing our unique circumstances with those of others, which can leave us feeling disappointed or even let down by God. This is a challenging and painful reality; however, it should fill us with hope to know things don’t have to be that way.
If I could go back in time and tell my younger self one thing that’s what it would be: STAY IN YOUR LANE, Sister! Followed very quickly by the remedy found in these verses:
At the beginning of this study, I emphasized, “The bottom line is this: comparison is a sin rooted in pride and discontent. It often leads us down a path of distraction, destruction, and disaster.” However, the key to overcoming this is understanding that we are all on our own journey, each with a unique purpose. While we share the same road map (The Bible), and ultimately the same destination (Heaven), we will do well to stay true to our personalized courses. Our lives should reflect the goodness and faithfulness of God, not the things of this world, or to be frank, the person traveling next to us. We don’t need to compare ourselves to gauge what His best for us is supposed to look like. Remember, he doesn’t hold back anything meant for you! (Psalm 84:11) Perhaps, His best for you isn’t the same as someone else simply because the people you are called to impact are vastly different. No matter the Lord’s reasoning, may we have the courage to boldly admit we need help and from Whom our help comes; not being swayed by others’ opinions or tempted to compare our journeys. We can avoid those “3Ds”, if we embrace who God created us to be and appreciate the blessing of traveling with His guidance- and correction.
From my Heart to Yours … stay in your lane, my sweet sister in Christ, and be steadfast, unmovable, and abound for His glory!
