Have a Comparison-Free Summer: 5-Day Plan to Beat Body EnvySýnishorn

Have a Comparison-Free Summer: 5-Day Plan to Beat Body Envy

DAY 4 OF 5

Waterparks are fun, aren’t they? It’s a whole universe designed for wearing only swim attire. It’s next to impossible to don a coverup between rides. You must pretend it doesn’t feel strange to walk around so exposed.

My favorite waterpark activity isn’t the rides. It’s people-watching. This pastime is a reminder that most women don’t look like swimsuit models.

But I have to be careful. My heart does a curious thing. I will watch 99 women walk by without incident. Then comes the one. She looks like she stepped off a suntan lotion billboard. And my insecurities swell.

Oh, how I wish I looked like that in a swimsuit.

Comparison sends me spinning. What does she eat? How does she work out? Has she always looked like that?

How’d she get that body?

I know nothing about this woman, yet suddenly I’m obsessed. Not over who she is or her story. No, I don’t really see her; I see a match for what culture tells me a woman’s body should look like. Instantly I abdicate my Christian calling to love, choosing to objectify her instead.

Yikes!

And it makes me miserable. As I walk around the waterpark, I feel a new awareness of my body’s flaws. Comparison won’t let me feel comfortable in my skin. I competed in an imaginary beauty contest against this woman and lost. Now, I must hide and sulk. If I brood well enough, I may be able to spoil the trip for the whole family.

But my shame comes from the ugliness of my heart, not my thighs. Comparison is a nice word. We slap our wrists and say, “Oh shucks, I should stop comparing!” But the Bible uses different words. Scripture talks about covetousness and envy. These are two ways we fall into subtle sin every time we compare.

Envy holds a touch of hatred. She has what we want, and we kind of hate her for it. At the same time, covetousness looks like desiring what another possesses. I want her abs. I want a body like that, a husband like hers.

With sin comes shame. We feel its weight like a wet beach towel. Culture tells us that our shame will disappear when we get a better body. Then we’ll win the fictitious contest and feel good again. But scripture tells us the only solution for shame is the Gospel. Let’s take a look.

Dag 3Dag 5

About this Plan

Have a Comparison-Free Summer: 5-Day Plan to Beat Body Envy

Do you stress more over your appearance in the summer? Does comparison try to spoil your season, making it difficult to enjoy time in the sun or on vacation? If summer causes your body image issues to flare, this 5-day reading plan will help you stop comparing and start living. Author and body image coach Heather Creekmore tackles tough issues like envy and identity with relatable humor and grace.

More