By Rachel Greene
We all have been guilty of this at one time or another. She is so much more beautiful than me. Her skin is flawless. I wish I had her job. Why can’t I be that personable? She seems to never have a bad day. The list could be endless. Women are naturally competitive and when you mix that with a world that is always looking for the next best thing, our level of personal satisfaction seems to remain at a very low level . But as a Christian woman, isn’t there a problem with thinking the way the world does about our personal level of best?
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalms 139:14). David was described in the Bible as a man after God’s own heart. He knew he was created by God’s own genius hand and held fast to the knowledge he was one of God’s masterpieces. In God’s eyes, we are perfectly made. God planned out every detail of who we are before he created us so why must we be so critical of who we are? In fact, the Bible says that we are stronger when we are weak. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Our shortcomings should be embraced as an opportunity to lean on Christ.
Something else to think about is the women who you envy have problems too. They have fat days and bad hair days. They get dumped. They compare themselves to other women too. They look in the mirror and wish their nose was a little smaller or their chest was a little bigger. Even society’s image of perfect wants to be something else. Good enough is never good enough. Because God created us, it is an insult to his creative hand that we would say that who he made is not enough. The lies that are put in your head are lies that you will never be worthy enough, pretty enough, or smart enough. Never enough. But when you look through a Christ filter, never enough is canceled out because he is always enough. The truth is that grace makes you worthy, you are beautiful because God makes beautiful things, and that you have the mind of Christ. “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
So how do we stop comparing ourselves to everyone else and focus on who God made us to be? Ask God what he sees in you. God sees so much more than our human eyes. Believe that his truth triumphs the worlds opinion. Focus on your inner beauty. “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). Serve others. A woman who is focused on other people won’t have time to be comparing herself to other women. She feels beautiful because her heart for other people makes her glow. She is radiant. Ever meet a woman that wasn’t the most stunning woman in the room but as you spoke to her, you saw a beauty you didn’t see before? She was focused on others and the light in her heart made her sparkle with beauty. “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Peter 3:3-4). The bottom line is beauty is more than skin deep. Focus on who you are instead of who you are not. God made us all unique so stop trying to fit in with the world’s carbon copy and embrace that you are exactly who God created you to be. As Dr. Seuss said, “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you!”
The Comparison Game