I often compare myself to other people –a celebrity on the cover of a magazine, a super-fit woman at the gym, a seemingly amazing wife in a fiction book, or a confident, chill real-life mom in the booth next to me at Chik-fil-A.

But perhaps the strongest comparison I make is to those who do what I want to do with my career. Women who speak to a national audience, with thousands of Facebook likes, more Twitter followers and an even bigger blogging platform. Women like Lysa Terkeurst, Jen Hatmaker, and Jennie Allen.

I look at their numerous speaking engagements, their offers to go to Israel—fully paid for—to research their next book, their manuscripts lining the bookstore shelves, and I pale in comparison.

I attended the She Speaks Conference a month ago and heard a repeated theme come from the lips of Christine Caine, Whitney Capps, Karen Ehman and several others. And I wondered if God was trying to hammer something through my super thick, self-centered, woe-is-me, skull.

“Lisa, comparison is like cancer—it grows and grows and if left untreated, has the potential to kill you.”

And I realized that I’m allowing the enemy of this world to win in my heart each time I compare myself to the women who’ve “made it”.

Instead of listening to these gals as they teach, I’m discouraged by my lack of knowledge.

Instead of watching their journey and taking notes, I’m preoccupied by my “green-ness”.

Instead of cheering them on, I’m sidetracked by my jealousy.

Now convicted, I’m reminded that the Bible is chock full of people who played the comparison game. And nothing goes well for the jealous.

Leah wished she could be pretty like Rachel.

Hannah wished she could have kids like Penninah.

The Israelites wished they had the wealth of the Canaanites.

David wished he had Urriah’s wife.

The disciples wished they were a different disciple.

Judas wished he had more money.

And Lisa wishes she was someone else.

When I’m distracted by who I am not, I lose focus of who I am.

[tweetthis]When I’m distracted by who I am not, I lose focus of who I am[/tweetthis]

And who God has created me to be. God doesn’t want me to be another Christine Caine or Beth Moore. If I’m them, then I’m not me. My comparison game is like telling the Creator He has my life wrong and I have my life right.

And Satan wins again.

When I’m preoccupied by my insecurities, I can’t be about the business of making God famous in my life. Because when I get down to it, this is why I’m here—to make God famous. And so Satan will be right there trying to divert my heart and fill my head—with lies.

God isn’t going to count the number of my blog followers, if I publish countless books, or speak to a stadium full of women. But God will hold me accountable for making Him famous while I lived – to my kids, my husband, my neighbors, to the checker at the grocery store, and the employee at the McDonalds drive-thru. While I need to be active in my platform building and work hard to communicate about the fame of God, “numbers” won’t determine success in His eyes.

Whew. Now that’s the Truth.

So I applaud the gals who have already “made it”. I want God to use them and their ginormous platform to make His name great. Life’s not about me. Life’s not about them. Life’s all about Him.

May God make Himself famous through me, through you, and through anyone who’s willing, however He chooses.

 

Do you play, “the comparison game” like me?  If so, how do you struggle? In what other ways could you and I stop this insanity and embrace who God’s created us to be?