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Mornings With Jesus
Mornings With Jesus
God Doesn't Track Progress Like We Do: Embracing Your Unique Journey | Joshua Scott Zeitz
Comparison is the thief of joy—especially in our spiritual lives. Drawing from Philippians 3:13-14, we explore why the backward glance can sabotage our forward progress in faith. "Forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal..." Paul's words remind us that the Christian journey isn't about measuring up to others but pressing forward in our unique calling.
Have you ever wished your spiritual growth came with a progress bar? Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. Looking deeper at Jesus's parable of the talents reveals a profound truth: the master didn't compare the servants to each other, but evaluated each based on what they did with what they were given. This perfectly illustrates God's economy—we aren't judged against fellow believers but on our faithfulness with our unique measure of faith.
The danger of what I call "comparison Christianity" lurks in our churches and social media feeds, tempting us to measure our worth against others' apparent success. This toxic mindset breeds offense, bitterness, and devastating battles with self-worth. Instead of gauging your spiritual progress by likes, acceptance, or church position, I challenge you to focus on the Father's business—sharing good news, encouraging others, and loving genuinely. When we're busy serving others, we simply won't have time to track our supposed progress or compare ourselves. You are who God says you are—not what comparisons suggest. Join us daily for more encouragement as we journey together in faith.
Hello and welcome to Mornings with Jesus, your daily dose of encouragement. I am your host, joshua Scott Zaitz. Today's encouragement comes from Philippians, chapter 3, verses 13 and 14. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of in our closet people in our circles, the list goes on. Clothes in our closet, people in our circles, the list goes on.
Speaker 0:The truth is, life doesn't come with a handy dandy progress bar and unfortunately it can feel at times like we are taking one step forward and three or even five steps back. Do you remember the parable of the talents that Jesus shared in scripture? Notice that the Lord of the house didn't compare the investees amongst each other, but rather to themselves. In other words, the person with one talent wasn't compared in value and worth to the person with five, but rather he was simply expected to do something with his one. This is how it is in the kingdom of God. The Bible says. God says we have all been given a measure of faith and it's not how we stack up to each other after this life is over that we will be judged by, but rather what we did on an individual basis with what God has entrusted to us. That is awesome news. God is not a respecter of persons, but sadly, people are, and, dare I say it, people within the church very much are. One of the most dangerous things we can become a part of is comparison Christianity. This leads to all sorts of offense, bitterness, pride and inward battles of self-worth.
Speaker 0:Listen, today I want to encourage you and I not to get our eyes off the one who truly matters. Each one of us is our own personal journey with the Lord, and yet each one of us makes up the body of Christ. That means that not one single individual is better than or more important than the other. Now, this can be hard to grasp at times, trust me, I know. And if we try to gauge our success, our progress in the Lord, by social media, by people who either accept or reject us, by our positions in the church then we are by people who either accept or reject us, by our positions in the church, then we are going to be let down big time. We are going to be continually grasping at straws, grasping at the wind Instead.
Speaker 0:My challenge for you and me today is this Be like Paul and forget those things which are behind. Look forward toward the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. What is our high calling? It's something we all share as believers sharing the good news with others, encouraging and loving on others. These are the things that we should be out doing. Jesus called it the Father's business while on earth, and it's something we can and should all be busy doing. When we get busy serving others, loving on others, encouraging others, we won't have time to track our supposed progress in the Lord or compare ourselves amongst ourselves. We will simply be too busy doing the word to notice or even care. Be encouraged today. You are who he says you are. Until next time, remember what you make happen for others, god will make happen for you.
