Comparison is the thief of joy.

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That saying is as true today as when Teddy Roosevelt first said it a century ago. In fact, it may be truer today. We live in a time where we can compare ourselves to so many people thanks to the rise of social media. But while social media has its place, it also brings harm – the harm of comparison.

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Would you change things if you could? Do you wish you were better looking, in better shape, had more time, had more money, had a better spouse or kids, had a better job, had more influence, or different life experiences, or better health, or a better _____ ?  We can spend too much time thinking how things could be better.  Sometimes, we reap what we sow – maybe we made a bad financial decision or we won’t work out, and as a result, we lose money, or we are unhealthy.  But sometimes things happen despite our best efforts – other people get a job or get promoted when we think we should, we get hurt through some accident or malicious sickness, the car or house always needs maintenance, and our bills just add up. In those cases, it’s easy to blame God for not having what we need or want, or to blame Him for giving others things beyond what they need or want. It’s so easy to focus on what we don’t have, that we don’t appreciate what we do have. Instead, God calls us to be content with what we have – Godliness with contentment is great joy (I Tim. 6:6).

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In today’s Scripture, Jesus tells a parable where all the workers got paid the same amount, whether they worked all day or just for an hour. The workers who worked longer complained about the apparent unfairness. Jesus said that the workers got what they had agreed on, and that they should not complain just because the landowner chose to be more generous to others.  

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In today’s world, we see how God chooses to bless others more than ever before, and that comparison can make us envious of God’s generosity to others. It’s easy to question why God wasn’t just a bit more generous with me when He was very generous with someone else. But in Hebrews 13:5, Paul tells us to be content with what we have.

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If you’re reading this, you probably have it better than 90% of the world. You probably have a job, you probably have an education, you can choose where to attend church, you have freedom of speech and to move, you have time for leisure, you have health or at least medical services. You have food for you and your family. Billions of people in the world don’t have these things. But we don’t often compare ourselves to those who are less fortunate.

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I think we’d be much more content if we could appreciate what God has given us, and not what He has not given us.

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Let’s start by acknowledging that everything we have is from God. We don’t know why God has chosen to give us some things and chosen to give others more or less. We’re loved the same, but it works in His plan to give some more and some less.

Here are three practical ways to focus on contentment, to be grateful for what God has given you, and to be less focused on what he has NOT given you.

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1. Pray. Thank God for His blessings and pray for those less fortunate.

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2. Consider these verses:

1 Tim 6:6 - “Godliness with contentment is great joy.”  

Luke 12:15 - “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’”

Hebrews 13: 5 - “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”

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3. I hope you’ve been able to participate in the prayer and fasting week at ACF.  If not, it’s not too late!  Over the past week, we have focused on prayer and fasting by using the acronym RESTORE – Receive, Encouragement, Surrendering, Total Obedience, Operating in the Spirit, Raise Up, and Enduring Prayers – as part of that, focus on contentment and restoration.  Tomorrow is an invitation to a day of fasting, and the focus is to hunger and thirst for righteousness above hungering and thirsting for the things of the world. Join us if you can!

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Dear God, thank You for your blessings – help me to focus on what you have chosen to give me, and not on what you have chosen to give others. I praise you for choosing me, and for making me a part of Your plan. Amen.

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Join us for R.E.S.T.O.R.E., this week's 7-Day Prayer Movement, as we prepare to fast and worship on Sunday!