Listen

Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.

Romans 12:2

Think

When I was a freshman in college, I first heard the phrase “comparison breeds inferiority.” It stuck in my mind – because it felt so true to my experience. Every time I compared myself to someone else, whether in looks, athletic ability, academics, or how funny or popular I was, I ALWAYS came up short. And this was BEFORE social media. Now it is exponentially worse – because the entire goal of social media seems to be to make us feel we are lacking in some way so that we will buy something, follow someone’s tutorials, subscribe to someone’s channel.

Paul’s words in Roman’s 12:2 feel especially relevant when we read them through this lens. True transformation comes not through conforming to the pressure to compare ourselves to others – but by renewing our minds – taking the space and time to breath in God’s presence within us and our worthiness as a uniquely created child of God. Only then can we know that God’s will for us is to fully be who God created us to be.

Amy Derrick

Pray

Forgive me, God, when I compare myself to others and forget that who I am is your gift to me.

Help me to unplug from the cycle of comparison that is so much a part of our social media-driven age and renew myself in the knowledge that who I am is enough – because you are with me.

Amen.

Go

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!