Content With Discontent: Killing Comparison With Gratitudeಮಾದರಿ

I have a confession to make: I have exercise ADD. I have a tendency to start a regimen up but don’t stick with it. Sometimes the routine will stick for three months, six months. And while I enjoy each of the mediums (as much as a person who doesn’t enjoy exercise possibly can enjoy a lane of exercise), I, admittedly, allow schedule to creep in and steal away that time. Recently, I picked walking daily in the morning back up and felt so good about myself as a few weeks went by and I had been more consistent with it.

One morning I was walking my neighborhood with a relatively brisk pace, noticing I was less 'out of breath' than the previous week as I worked my way up one of the hills. Then from out of nowhere, a woman about ten years younger than me swept past me in a moderate jogging rhythm, her beautiful pony tail swinging back and forth behind her, leaving me in her metaphorical dust. Instantaneously, I went from feeling proud and encouraged to ashamed and defeated.

“I should be in better shape than I’m in.”
“If I had stuck with one lane of exercise and maintained this habit, I would look better than I do.”
“I’m too young to look this old.”
“I need better workout clothes.”

The list of internal thought rants, complaints, and excuses began to stack up.

Have you experienced this in at least one area of your life? I have this in multiple lanes, it seems…at least on occasion. I’m walking along--confident in my capabilities, skill set, life’s call, home, family, marriage--and then somebody else comes jogging along, sweeping ahead of me, and I stumble over the obstacle of comparison and discontentment. I swing from “I got this!” to “why can’t I get it together?” in a matter of moments. And if I’m not careful, I listen to the self-doubt long enough that NOTHING is going right in my life. EVERYTHING is worthless, less than, falling short. Once I start down that track, a megaphone is handed to every doubt or perceived failure this perfectionist has ever had.

Why is contentment so challenging to achieve? And why is comparison so hard to overcome?

Over these next few days, let's kick comparison to the curb and learn the art of living in true contentment.

Dig a Little Deeper:

Before we get started, require yourself to name a few areas in which you struggle with comparison. Who do you compare yourself to? When does the comparison seem to sneak up on you? Have you noticed a pattern? Write those thoughts down and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the areas in which He desires to work in your heart, mind, and life.