Don't Compare

       Have you ever compared your walk with Christ to someone else's? Likely it ended in one of two ways; either you felt pride over how 'good' you were and unrighteous they were, or it broke your pride and probably caused you to be jealous of that person, maybe without you even realizing it. Both really are dangerous to your walk with Jesus, one will fill you with pride, the other will crush your spirit as you despair over not being as 'good.' Both open doors to allow sin into your life. Over the weekend I spoke to someone who has been experiencing the latter.
       I have been doing my best the last two days to find scripture about this situation, but I haven't found any yet that exactly match up to what this person is struggling with. They confessed to me recently that part of the reason they have been struggling lately in their faith was that for a long time they had been the most God-centered person they knew, but then someone else in their life started serving God with a lot of zealous energy and as they saw this and all the blessings that were following this person, they started to feel like less. This second person doesn't look down on them or say demeaning things about the first person's relationship with God, but it is that this second person has evident spiritual gifts and that is why the first person feels envious. The first person has not yet discerned or had it revealed what their spiritual gift is and they have been upset by seeing the blessing of the Lord on the second person.
      This definitely seems to me to be an issue of jealousy and maybe a little pride too. I wanted to share this person's experience with you today as a reminder of what can happen when we stop looking at Jesus for our worth, and start comparing ourselves to others. We need to stay focused on pleasing God, we should not worry about whether we are as blessed or 'good' as the person sitting next to us. Our relationship with God is ours, it is personal, and while it is quite alright to lovingly and gently correct a backslider, we should never look at someone's gifts or walk and feel jealousy.

Galatians 5:19-26

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.