Joy in this Journey By: FaithLine
We invite you to join us here at Joy In This Journey by: FaithLine Podcast as we unpack the life-changing truths of the Bible through easy-to-listen Bible Devotionals. We encourage listeners to see life as a healthy and continual "session in progress" toward reaching full maturity in Christ. Here at Faith Line Devotionals, we know that through Jesus, we can receive genuine healing, hope, and transformation when we open our ears and hearts to God's Word! So, please sit back, relax, or take us along, because it is time to find joy in your journey today! Insta/facebook @myfaithline - www.myfaithline.com
Joy in this Journey By: FaithLine
Rising Above the Comparison Trap
We're breaking the chains of comparison in our latest discussion, drawing wisdom from John 21:20 where Jesus instructs Peter to focus on following Him. We dive deep into the pitfall of measuring our lives against our neighbors', emphasizing that God's plan is individually tailored, just like our fingerprints. We unpack the necessity of fixing our gaze on Christ to thwart the enemy's ploys of inadequacy and to magnify God's glory in our distinct journeys.
The episode doesn't just stop at identifying the issue; it offers a path to joy and thankfulness in our faith walks. I share how we can find peace in our unique roles within Christ's body, encouraging a celebration of others' victories without slipping into the shadows of envy. We wrap up by inviting you to participate in our vibrant social media community, where your stories of growth and grace can inspire others. So, come along and let's embrace the joyous adventure of living a life full of gratitude, faith, and the divine grace that we each have been blessed with.
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Welcome to Joy in this Journey podcast by Faithline. Join us as we bring you weekly episodes on Bible devotionals to empower you to live in faith, by faith, through God's grace. Find joy in your journey today. God's grace, find joy in your journey today.
Speaker 2:Hello and welcome everyone to another podcast episode from Join this Journey by Faithline. Today's Bible reading will be in the book of John, chapter 21, verse 20. And we read the word of the Lord in the name of the Father, son and Holy Spirit, amen. We read the word of the Lord in the name of the Father, son and Holy Spirit, amen. Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also leaned on his chest at the supper and said Lord, who is the one who betrays you? Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus but Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him If I will that he remain till I come, what is it to you? You follow me.
Speaker 2:We see Jesus addressing in Peter and in us the tendency we have to compare ourselves with others, with other followers of Jesus and with what God is doing in their lives. This plays out in so many different areas in our lives, when we walk through trial and tribulation and we see that this person or that person is not going through it and we think, god, why, why me, why not them? And then we see well, god working in someone else's life, something beautiful and miraculous and even powerful. And then we think again God, why them and not me? Then we fall into the circle of trying to figure out things and losing our focus on what's important, and it's Christ. We are too involved in our thoughts and how we feel and trying to figure out why this and why that and not understanding that God deals with everyone different, and so maybe right now you're not celebrating, but know that there is a time where you will be celebrating. God blesses everyone in a different time and uses everyone in a different time and does things you know differently. He's not going to use you as he uses me, and he's not going to probably lift you up. You know, at the same time he lifts me up. Everyone has a time and place for everything, and everyone has a place in the body of Christ, and so you should focus on knowing that you are part of his body and if it takes some time for you to start, you know working, just know that it's in God's time and not in your time. And in the meantime, as you wait, just follow him.
Speaker 2:In the middle of all this, god is trying to teach us one thing, and it's you, follow me. God is working in so many different ways in everyone's lives and he's doing everything wisely. He's doing everything for your good, for my good. He's doing things that we don't understand, but in that process he is working something good, and something good is going to come out of it. All we have to do is continue to follow him and fix our eyes on Jesus, our eyes on Jesus. We need to focus on our daily needs and continue to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and ask him Lord, as I wait, as I go through this, just continue to work in me that I can bring forth your complete purpose in my life. We need to focus on his grace and his works and not on each other's lives.
Speaker 2:And when we start to focus on each other's lives and what's going on, we start to fall short and we start to feel less. And that's where the enemy comes in to try to make us fear inferior. Well, you know, I can never mount to what this person is doing. I can't, you know, pass through a trial so gracefully as this person did. No, you may be not, but you know what. You're going through it and that's the point that you're going through it and you're still standing. You might be crying and the other one is smiling, but you're still going through it, you're still standing, you're still here, and that's what's important.
Speaker 2:So, instead of focusing on everything else and comparing yourself, where the enemy has the opportunity to destroy, you just close the door on him and know okay, this is not my time yet, but in this process, I know that God is doing something. I might not see it, I might not feel it and I might not hear it, but you know what? There is a day that everything will unfold, and then I won't understand the true purpose of everything. Everything is for the good. You have to understand that and hold that in your heart. So, as you wait, just continue to pray. Pray for your life, pray for other lives, because each of us deal with everything differently, and so maybe you are dealing with it harder, everything differently, and so maybe you are dealing with it harder.
Speaker 2:But just know that someone is dealing with that trial that you are facing. Maybe not the same thing, but they're dealing with an even harder situation, and the enemy is trying to bring them to a point of no return. And so we have to cry out for mercy, cry out for God. Just follow him, and as we do, it's not that I don't care for everyone around me. It's just I got to focus on God. And as I focus for God, just follow him. And as we do, it's not that I don't care for everyone around me, it's just I got to focus on God. And as I focus on God, he, through his Holy Spirit, will then help me reach to that point in my life where I pray for myself and I pray for others in the faith, so God can strengthen them as well.
Speaker 2:We got to fix our eyes on him daily, knowing that everything is working out together. If we're abiding in him, we must follow him. Let him lead us, let him guide us, let him direct us, let him direct our path, let him direct our steps and, at the end, bring him the most glory, not ourselves. And so we focus on where wow, this person is getting so much. You know, um awards and being recognized. That's not the point. The point is to bring God glory, and through what I went through, god receives the honor and glory, and so we don't need to be worried or concerned about what anyone else is doing. Just be concerned of what God is doing in your life and making sure that he is fulfilling every plan and purpose. We need to focus on ourselves, focus on how we can be complete in Christ and how every work can be completed, every work that he started, you know. May our focus be making sure that he perfects his will in our lives and make sure that he finishes it. We're so focused on everyone else. What are they doing? How is their ministry, you know?
Speaker 2:And then we compare our followers to their followers. You know, the only thing I need to be concerned about is that I'm a follower of Christ. I can't sink into where I'm focused. Well, I only have a hundred followers and that person has a thousand followers, and we feel less than that person because that person has more followers than me, and then I'm not achieving anything. That's not the point.
Speaker 2:Social media came way after there was no Instagram, no YouTube in the days of Jesus, and everyone's focus needed to be on Christ, and the only important thing was if you are a follower of Christ, and the only important thing was if you are a follower of Christ. And back then, there was no important things of how many followers Paul had or how many followers John had. We don't read that. We read that Christ was the one that had multitudes following him. But we've fallen into this comparison now, that if I don't have these amount of people, then I'm nothing, I'm not important.
Speaker 2:And so God is telling you, as he told Peter, you focus on me, you follow me, let John do what he needs to do. You do what you need to do. And so, if you need a break, take a break from social media, take a break from all these comments, take a break from all that and just focus on Christ. Focus that if you're following him, we lose ourselves and all these other things of the world and we're not noticing that we actually we have actually stopped following him in the way he's supposed to be followed. We have actually stopped following him in the way he's supposed to be followed. So if you examine yourself today and know that you have stopped following him because you're too focused on everyone else and what everyone else is doing, then you need to fix something, and today's the day to fix it.
Speaker 2:So Christ and his love is telling you you focus on me, you follow me. That's what's important is where you stand in me. So we have to come to the Lord with all honesty and say God, yeah, I am focusing too much on my brother, I am focusing too much on my sister and I'm not understanding why I can't have this and why they have that. And when we refocus ourselves, nothing else matters. Nothing else matters. We're going to see that we're not focused. We're going to be like oh, yeah.
Speaker 2:I remember you received the new house yes, amen, thank you, jesus. And we celebrate with them. And we didn't even notice that they received it because we were too focused on Christ. And that's what God wants to bring us to is to completely focus on him. Everything else, everything else passes. Everything else passes. Everything under the sun has its time and it passes, but the word of the Lord is firm. It's forever. His promises are forever.
Speaker 2:So whatever's happening around you, god is in control. Let it, let God deal with it. Don't you step into it trying to change things, because then we exhaust ourselves and then we lose ourselves in the process, and that's not what God wants. God wants us to grow. God wants to comply his plan and purpose in our lives. He wants the fullness of him to manifest in your life, and not focusing on him, it's not going to happen. So, as he called Peter's attention, he calls your attention today to refocus on him.
Speaker 2:And whatever you're going through, it's all in God's time and it's all for a good, and it's all for a plan and purpose and it's for a testimony that right now you can't see, but later on you will see and it will manifest for his honor and glory. This is all for God's honor and glory. We've been taking his glory for many, many years. Many people taking his glory is not them, it's not the evangelists, it's not the preachers, it's not the singer, the psalmist, as they say now. It's not them, it's all Christ, and without Christ we would be nothing. And so it's time to bring back the glory to God, and not ourselves and not anything around us, and just refocus ourselves on Christ that he came to save us, came to do great things, came to heal us and transform us, and and through us, manifests his glory. So this world can see that there is a true God of love, a God of liberation, a God of restoration, and that's what we have to be concerned about.
Speaker 2:What is God doing in me? What is God doing in you? And so when we refocus ourselves, our priorities change our focus. What we see, what we hear, what we feel changes. So don't open the door to the enemy to focus on anybody else and worry about things you shouldn't be worrying about.
Speaker 2:God is not saying for you to have a cold heart. We're supposed to pray for each other in the faith, yeah, and be there for each other when it's time, but don't lose yourself in the process and then you come out losing. God came to save you. God came to transform you. So you come out losing. God came to save you. God came to transform you.
Speaker 2:So focus on yourself. Focus on Christ today, reposition yourself in him today and understand that what you don't understand now, god has a specific time for it, amen. So refocus yourself and worry for what God is doing in you. Let's pray, father, god, we come before you in Jesus' name and we pray that you help us, lord. Help us today. Help each and every one of us just to fix our eyes on you.
Speaker 2:God, jesus, help us to follow you and do what you are calling us to do today. Do what you are calling us to do today, lord. Let us not focus on anyone else. Help us not to lose ourselves in being worried and frustrated, god, and not understanding. Help us to know that in your time, everything will unfold. We pray for each other, lord, but you didn't ask us to lose ourselves in each other. You asked us to be there for each other, in you, in the faith, but not to focus that we lose the purpose you have for our lives.
Speaker 2:God, help us to stand firm and help us to follow you and only you, and help us to unite and take our position in your body, lord, that if you've called me to work in the part of your feet and you've called my brother and sister to work in the part of your hand, that I understand that we all have our place. It doesn't mean that I'm less and it doesn't mean that I'm more. It only means that I'm part of you and they are part of you also. That we are all equal in the faith. We are all brothers and sisters in you, lord, that you have called us to bring you. Also. That we are all equal in the faith. We are all brothers and sisters in you, lord, that you have called us to bring you glory. So help us, lord, not to focus. That we can stand and encouraging each other toward your glory, god, and that we can all stand firm and faithful to the end. Help us all keep our eyes on you and help us, lord, be free of unhealthy comparisons.
Speaker 2:Lord. Help us not compare ourselves with others and help us not compete with others. Help us know this is not a competition, that this is a work for your honor and glory. Help us, god, to rejoice in your grace. Help us, lord, to give each other love and help us go forward in the calling that you have for our lives. That we can follow you no matter what, lord. That we can be faithful to the very end. Give us strength, god, give us faith. Open our eyes, god, that everything that is not of you you take it away.
Speaker 2:Today, in the name of Jesus, let us be free, god, let us be free to walk and let us be free to follow you. Everything that has wanted to hinder us and hinder our wisdom in you, god, in the name of Jesus, you break it today. That we can be free, god, to work together. Work together, to walk together, to believe together, to obtain glory together for your honor and glory, god. I pray in Jesus' name that we can spread the gospel to the nations, that we can help each other instead of bringing each other down. You have called us to unite, for in the unity there is strength.
Speaker 2:I pray in the name of Jesus. There is strength. I pray in the name of Jesus, amen. I pray that this word has been a blessing to your life and never forget that God has called you for a special purpose. Never compare yourself to anyone else, because there is only one of you, your personality, your character, your heart. God made one, and so follow him, focus on him and let him bring forth the best that he has called you to be. Until next time, this is your host, jj. God bless you.
Speaker 1:If you liked today's episode and find that our podcasts are helping you find joy in your journey, please leave us a review in the podcast app and tell us your story and how we assisted you in finding joy. Don't forget to reach out to us by taking a screenshot of any of our podcasts and posting it on your Instagram or Facebook, tagging us in at MyFaithLine, and we will comment back. Join us next week for more episodes on finding joy in your journey through faith. Until next time, remember to live in faith by faith, through God's grace. God bless you.