Previously, I ended with this thought: “We all have seasons where we struggle and find ourselves on this winding road. (Comparison) Whether it’s clothes, kids, cars, houses, body image, husbands, or ministries – yep, I said it – comparison knows no boundaries. It is not a respecter of people or circumstances. The bottom line is this: comparison is a sin rooted in pride and discontentment. It’s a road that almost always leads to distraction, destruction, and disaster.”
Let’s explore how the Word of God can help us to “stay in our lane” and follow the path for His glory.
Before we can understand the remedy to those “3D’s”, as we’ll refer to them, we must first look at pride’s sinful, slippery slope. How do we find ourselves there in the first place?
Beloved, let me first submit that none of us are immune to pride. Every sin is rooted in its midst. We must acknowledge that it does not come from God; rather, it originates from the enemy because the Bible is clear in 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
It’s not uncommon for us to convince ourselves that we do not struggle with pride. “This does not apply to me; I don’t face the same challenges as she does.” (Ring a bell?) We must admit that very thought reveals a prideful spirit. To better understand why we sometimes find ourselves “in someone else’s lane”, we first must examine Satan’s tactics. He isn’t a creative adversary and uses the same tricks and lies today as he did in the Garden of Eden.
Grab your Bible or follow along, and let’s take a look.
Genesis 3:1a reads like this: “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said,”
When I read this, I picture a young child trying to coax another into doing something, smirking as they say, “But, did Dad REALLY say that?” As believers, we must purpose to commit Scripture to memory and immerse ourselves in the Word daily to guard against this initial trap (Psalm 119:11). Be certain of what the Lord has said!
Continuing with that verse, and into verse 3, we read: “Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.”
So, what did God say? Let’s refer back to Genesis 2:16-17: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” To answer the serpent’s question, that’s not what God said. In response to Eve, He never mentioned not touching it. Believer, it is SO important that we neither add to nor take away from God’s Word, thus twisting it out of context or into a lie, deceiving ourselves (and sometimes others).
Finally, now that we are down, he whispers the most devastating lies. Genesis 3:4-5: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
This is where we ultimately feel a bit cheated by God. We forget all things, yes even the things we wish were different, work for our good and His glory. We begin asking, “What is God keeping me from doing? What blessings is He withholding?” Might we always remember the promise in Psalm 84:11, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” AMEN! Aren’t you thankful for that truth?
Now, how does this tie into the sin of comparison? That’s for next time, Beloved.
Until then, stay steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding for His glory!
