Killing Comparison

Jealousy, Envy and Covetousness

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." -Hebrews 13:5 

Pervasive feelings of discontentment almost always breeds entitlement, and entitlement when unfulfilled, will always produce feelings of envy, jealousy and covetousness.

Despite slight variations in meaning, the underlying feelings fuelling all three emotions is ingratitude. Unfortunately, many people fall into the trap of comparison which opens the doors to bitterness and toxic thinking patterns.

Overcoming Comparison:Be Careful of the Content you Consume

We live in a technologically advanced society that thrives off instant gratification. In fact, two words can sum up the current age in all of its glory: social media.

While this tool helps us stay connected and keeps us up-to-date on events happening near and far, if misused, this technology can also become the death of us.

Whether we realize it or not, the things we watch, engage in and see have an impact on how we feel, what we think and what we do. So, if we’re filling our spirits with content that promotes materialism, folly and sexual immorality, pretty soon, we will begin to notice the roots of covetousness, envy, and impurity sprouting up in our lives.

Research proves social media can contribute to a person developing anxiety and depression simply because scrolling down a feed of another person’s highlights can trigger jealousy and discontentment. Even more so, our social media feeds are specifically tailored to our own preferences.

This means if the content we watch is not aligned with God’s Word, we can risk exposing our souls to worldly doctrines that can create strongholds in our minds. This is why the Bible says we are to set our thoughts on “things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2).

Finding Contentment 

The most certain way to live a miserable existence is to ignore all of the good things that happen in life, while constantly complaining about all of the things that didn’t pan out. Does the saying: “Nothing ever works out for me,” sound familiar? If it doesn’t ring a bell to you, it sure reminds me of a few things I used to say. 

In fact, if you’re anything like the average human being, expressions like this are constantly littered in your daily vocabulary whether you find yourself in the midst of the trickiest situation or faced with an irritable, yet minor inconvenience.

Overcoming Comparison: Be Mindful of your Words 

While some may argue that “woe is me” proclamations are just used to express our feelings, the truth is, these sayings foster a negative perception that is a symptom of a much bigger issue: ungratefulness. Ingratitude is the act of being ungrateful. It is the antithesis of thanksgiving and often robs a person of their joy through pessimism, complaining and of course comparison.

Embracing Your Unique Journey

A wise man once said comparison is the thief of joy, but what it really is, is the killer of contentment. When a person constantly compares themselves to others, they become fixated on what they don’t have and what they can’t do. So much so, that they begin to overlook and undermine their own skills and talents.

This causes them to grow resentful with their lot in life which encourages the development of an ungrateful heart. A lack of gratitude may seem like a trivial thing on the surface; nevertheless, it is a grave vice that comes with serious consequences.