One of the tenets of physical strength training is to listen to your body and go at your own pace. It can be tempting to compare our progress to others, but comparison can lead to discouragement and frustration. It can take the fun out of our little successes.
Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
In the spiritual life, comparison can also lead to discouragement. God gives each of us different gifts and inspirations about how to use them. Praying for guidance, being faithful to the Sacraments, and learning about ourselves through the study of scripture are some ways God reveals who we are through Him and how we are called to use our gifts and talents to accomplish our unique mission.
St Paul addressed comparison in 2nd Corinthians 10:12, “Not that we dare to class or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”
As Christians, we are called to support, encourage, love and be inspired by each other. We are on the same team! We are each given unique gifts for the purpose of lifting up the Body of Christ and bringing people to Christ. How ineffective we would be if we all had the same gifts!
God is so generous, and has such great plans for each of us that if we wallow in the fact that some people have more gifts (or what we consider better gifts) than we do, we may miss out on our unique mission and purpose. Most certainly comparison opens the door to Satan to discourage us and perhaps even stop us from striving for holiness (and sainthood!) altogether.
Christ knows our individual strength and weaknesses and he works with us just as we are — so let us seek Him rather than looking to people to give us our mission and identity. St. Francis de Sales said, “Be who you are and be that well.”
Let us pray for the humility to be honest with ourselves about our gifts and to patiently discern how to use them. Often our mission is small and hidden, but of no less importance than what appears to be someone else’s grandiose mission. May we be grateful for whatever gifts we have and pray to find God’s peace and joy in living authentically with Him as our guide.