Comparison Is A Thief!

Take heart, God has not forgotten you! YOU ARE ENOUGH! We all have a different path and comparison will derail you so keep your eyes on JESUS!! 
#morethanenough #lovedbygod #seenandheard #lookup #letstalkaboutit

Transcript

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Well hello Hola Chabela Nihau Slahika What's up It's your girl Y friend your sis your Chica and your Amiga Y homegirl and the Gospel Lyric The Lyrical Miracle McCree I pray that you all are doing well whichever day of the week it is for you It's Saturday morning here in California and it's noisy outside already. I'm not sure why, but if you happen to hear it, I apologize. But I just wanted to share this uh message that I received during my devotional time this morning, and I pray that it encourages you as well. Um I just I don't know of anybody else, but I'm I'm almost sure I'm pretty positive that there are other people who have dealt with this comparing yourself to others or feeling like they are further along than you are, farther along than you are, have done more, are doing more, just seems like things are happening for them, and you're just sitting still. So this morning, during my devotional time, you know, the Lord He He really knows how to minister to us, how to help us to see things properly. And I personally have struggled in the past with comparing myself to others, especially in lieu of what I have deemed to be important. Um Lord, I went to school and I I got a degree, I got multiple degrees. Um I have pursued this, that, and the other. I have gifts and talents that seem to be going nowhere. And then I look at other people who have not gone to school, who may not even be as talented as as I am, who have not put in as much work, and things just seem to happen for them. You just seem to bless them, and sometimes it can make you feel like, well, what about me? Or what's wrong with me? At least I have felt that before. But uh, have you ever caught yourself comparing who you are to someone else? I mean, maybe you have thought she's so confident or he's so gifted, or they just seem to have it all together, and somewhere inside you a voice is whispering, I'll never be like that. Or I can do that, but why isn't it anything happening for me? Or maybe you've noticed how well people make friends, or how that person has a certain kind of charisma and confidence that you wish you had, or maybe you've seen doors of favor open for others, and you're still waiting for your own breakthrough, and that thought does creep in, Lord, what about me? And if we're really honest, it's not just comparison, it's the sense of falling short of feeling like you're unseen, unworthy, and in many cases, like we're just not enough. So we start to question our own worth, our own pace, and even our own purpose. So I really believe that all of us at some point deal with comparison to some extent, but the truth is that comparison, like fear, is a thief. Um, I did a podcast not too long ago that fear is a thief. Well, comparison is also a thief because it robs you of your joy, the joy of the present, the joy of your portion. It even robs you of the ability to see the goodness of God in your own life because we're so focused on what appears to be happening for other people, or what they have, or what they're doing, or how God is favoring them, so it makes us feel like maybe we don't have as much favor because those types of things are not happening for us, at least, not yet. So today I just want to share a powerful truth that I that I believe I gained from my devotional time this morning, and I pray that it will help to dismantle this trap of envy, jealousy, comparison, feelings of unworthiness, and that you're not enough. Uh, so let's just look at John the Baptist. So the moment in John the Baptist's life where um where Jesus' ministry was beginning to grow, and crowds were starting to follow him, John's disciples came and they were complaining to him, saying, You know, Rabbi, that man you baptized, everyone's going to him now. But listen to John's response. It was so full of peace and poise and humility. He said in John 3 27, a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. That's really the point right there. When John's followers compared him to Jesus, John didn't panic or try to compete. He said, A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. In other words, everything about who you are, your gifts, your grace, your pace, your talents, your everything, it comes from your father who loves you. Our Heavenly Father doesn't bless others at our expense. His supply isn't limited, and he's not like giving out portions of blessings like slices of pie, hoping there's enough left for you. No, he's El Shaddai, the all-sufficient one, the God who is more than enough. And one of the beautiful things about it is that we can come freely to our Heavenly Father and ask him and trust that his heart is always to give us what is best for us. So there's no need to compare or to fight or for us to, you know, try to place ourselves at a certain table. Just ask, because our Father delights in giving to us. Um, the Lord said it in Luke 12 32, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. So instead of us looking sideways at other people and what they have, just take a moment to look up. The Bible says, I will look to the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth. So we look to the one who holds our portion, not to the other people, not to people, because they too have to look to the Lord for their portion. We look to the one who loves to bless us, and that is our Father. And the truth is, he's not just enough, he's more than enough for us. And everything that he has designed and purposed for our life, our lives, he will do it. Everything that is intended for us, he will provide it, he will give it to us. Just continue to look to him, not look at people, look to the one who is our source, and our source is Jesus Christ. I really pray that you understand who you are, how much you're loved, your value, your contributions, and how there is a special place for you in the body of Christ. There are special things that only you can do. There is ministry in you, even if it's not on a big stage or in front of people, whatever it is, there are things that only you can do because the Lord has designed for you to do them. So be encouraged, know that you're loved, know that the Lord has not forgotten about you. He does see you, He does hear you, He does understand what you're going through, and He already has the answer. So be blessed and know that God is for you and not against you. Thank you for stopping by my podcast. I appreciate your time and don't forget to talk about it.