Comparison I have my own unique contribution to make and there is no one else like me.
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
"What do you base your value on?"
"There is always going to be someone better, someone more accomplished, someone more beautiful, someone more blessed, someone more skilled. If you continue to compare yourself you are going to find you never match up. It will seem like you are always lacking."
"You are created by God. You are who you are. He loves you for who you are. You are beautiful and wonderful to him because he made you unique. You are his child."
Quotes by Pastor Phil Ressler.
Psalm 139:14 I Praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
I want to be a better wife like...
I want to be a better mother like...
I wish my faith was as strong as...
Oh, how I could move people if I could just sing like...
I would be so much happier if my body looked more like...
God would be happier with me if I could talk to people like...
These are just some of the things I catch myself saying to myself. It is so easy for me to see the good in others and the imperfections in myself. I believe this a form of pride.
It all boils down to our self-esteem; where is our value? God wants us to use the gifts and abilities he has given us, and there is nothing wrong with taking pride in giving God your best. I think that it shows God your appreciation for the gifts he has given you. I think it can be easy for a person with low self-esteem to have a wrong pride of having a "better" talent or gift than someone because they are trying to make up for what they feel they lack. But a person with low self-esteem can also be prideful by always focusing on and pointing out their own faults and weakness. I think it is prideful because it is still drawing unhealthy attention to yourself. All that negativity is unhealthy in itself. I believe that negativity just brings more negativity.
Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
We are all created by God. He created each one of us unique and special; each with our own strengths and weaknesses, each with our own gifts and talents. We each have a part to play in God's plan. We are all important. Stop looking at others with desires to be like them. God does not want you to be like them, he wants you to be like you, the you he created. The earth would be a boring place if we were all the same. Be genuinely happy for the gifts and talents that God has given others. Encourage them to do the best they can with those gifts and talents.
"A healthy self-esteem comes when you know God loves you and made you in his image and through Christ has made you holy and a new creation."
"You don't need to: Be Proud. Brag. Boast. Be overly defensive. Compare yourself. Feel inadequate. Worry about what others think of you. Build yourself up in others minds. Inflate a sagging ego. Lie to yourself and others. Make excuses for sin. Try to assume positions beyond you. Never admit you are wrong. Always be right about every last thing. Rebel against authority. Avoid submission. Tear others down (or tear yourself down). Avoid those of lowly status in the worlds eyes (or avoid those of great status in the world's eyes). Be greedy for money or power to improve social status.
You can be yourself: Servant. Humble. Gentle. Kind. Loving. (unique, special, important). Thinking of others needs more highly than your own perverse pride induced desires."
To remove pride, just stop comparing yourself with others. If you don't compare yourself with others anymore because you know we are all equally loved by God, equally sinful before God, and equally savable through Christ, and equally able to bring glory to God, then you won't have low self-esteem and you won't have the temptation to be proud any more."
- Kendall Faull (my added words)
These are great reminders.
God, thank you for creating me so special, so unique. You have given me great gifts and talents. Help me to always use them to the best of my ability, and in a way that gives you glory so that I can show my appreciation for what you have given to me; for the things you have entrusted to me. Thanks for the reminder that I do not have to be like everyone else. You don't want me to be like everyone else. You want me to be me. Help me to stop looking at others with eyes and a heart that desires to be like them; have what they have, because that takes my focus off of the wonderful things that you have blessed me with. It takes my eyes off of the beautiful creation that I am. I lose sight of my importance when I compare myself to others; I lose sight of your love for me. With all of my love and trust in Jesus' name Amen!
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