Have you ever scrolled through social media and felt that familiar knot tighten in your stomach?

You know the one. It shows up when you see someone else’s success, someone else’s seemingly perfect life, someone else’s accomplishment that makes yours feel… small.

Before you know it, you’re mentally cataloging all the ways you don’t measure up:

She’s more organized than I am.Her kids are better behaved.She’s prettier, more talented, more successful.I’m not enough.

We’ve all been there.

I recently caught myself doing this. A friend shared some exciting news—something wonderful that I was genuinely happy about. But underneath that happiness, something else crept in. A quiet voice whispered: Why not you? What does she have that you don’t?

And just like that, I was measuring myself against her, tallying up my shortcomings, wondering what was wrong with me and why I couldn’t achieve what she had achieved, no matter how hard I tried.

The crazy thing? She wasn’t comparing herself to me. She was just living her life. I was the one holding up the measuring stick.

Here’s what I’ve learned: comparison doesn’t just make us feel inadequate—it distorts how we see ourselves AND how we see God’s work in our lives.

When we measure ourselves against others, we’re essentially saying: “God, Your plan for me isn’t good enough. I want what You gave them.”

We start believing that our worth is determined by how we stack up. That we’re only valuable if we’re “better than” or “as good as” someone else.

But that’s not how God sees us.

Psalm 139:14 reminds us: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Notice what’s NOT in that verse? Any mention of how you compare to anyone else.

God didn’t create you to be a better or worse version of someone else. He created you to be YOU—with your specific gifts, your unique story, your particular calling.

When you constantly measure yourself against others, you miss the beautiful truth: God made you exactly as He intended. Not as a rough draft. Not as a consolation prize. As a masterpiece.

Imagine what would shift if you stopped using other people as your measuring stick:

You’d celebrate their wins without feeling diminished by them
You’d focus on what God is doing in YOUR life instead of obsessing over what He’s doing in theirs
You’d have energy to pursue YOUR calling instead of trying to replicate someone else’s
You’d finally experience the freedom that comes from knowing your worth isn’t up for debate

Your value isn’t determined by how you compare to anyone else. It’s established by the God who made you. Their success doesn’t diminish yours. Their gifts don’t cancel out yours. Their journey doesn’t make yours less significant.

God has a plan for you that’s completely separate from what He’s doing in anyone else’s life. And when you spend all your energy comparing yourself to them, you miss out on the incredible things He wants to do through YOU.

The next time you catch yourself comparing—whether it’s scrolling social media, sitting in church, or watching someone else get the opportunity you wanted—pause and ask yourself:

“Whose measuring stick am I using? And is it even mine to hold?”

Then remind yourself of this truth: God’s opinion of you is the only one that matters. And His assessment? You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Not because you measure up to someone else’s standard.

But because He created you with intentionality, purpose, and love. And that’s enough.

With encouragement,

P.S. If you’ve been struggling with comparison, I want you to know: you’re not alone, and you’re not failing. This is something we all wrestle with. But God’s truth is stronger than our tendency to measure. Hold onto that today.  You can also check out my Proverbs 31 devotion, Just Because They Said It Doesn’t Make It True, by clicking HERE. 

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Could you use some encouragement and tips on learning to reframe your thought patterns and start thinking more positively about yourself and your life?  Check out my book Unsinkable Faith: God-Filled Strategies for Transforming the Way You Think Feel and Live.

The truth is, hearts anchored in God don’t sink. When we change the way we think, we can change the way we feel and live, even if our circumstances remain the same. Intentionally embracing the opportunity to experience a transformed heart and a renewed mind opens the door for a changed life, because a positive mind will always lead to a more positive life.