CHOOSING COMPASSION OVER COMPARISON

Comparison thinking is an identity thief. It’s pretty easy for humans to compare one with another; who is bigger, better, faster, skinnier, prettier, cleverer… It can come so naturally to us, we no longer even think about it. The whole advertising and marketing world is built on comparison thinking. The fact is, pitting yourself against another robs you and robs the other person. Comparison always makes one person look worse off than another; weaker, poorer, less than. It takes away from the identity journey of who I am and who I am becoming.

Learning about identity has been a beautiful river running through my life these past 3 years that I have been part of The Warrior Commission. I have been learning about who I am, how God made me tick, what I am passionate about and how to pursue those passions with wholeheartedness in my everyday life. Even more importantly, I have been learning about who God is for me. How does He look at me? And when He looks at me, how does He want to provide for me in that moment?

He knows what’s on my calendar and He knows the minute-by-minute state of my heart. He knows what’s coming and He knows what I am going to need to be equipped with to handle it all. He wants to be something for me; in this hour and in the next. He also sees the person He wants me to become 5, 10, and 50 years from now. Daily, He’s giving me opportunities to become that person, more fully me!

Along the way of my identity journey there have been times I have looked around at others and thought “Oh my gosh, they’re waaaay ahead of me, I’ll never get there!” Self-disappointment and anxiety at the thought that I need to catch up arise. It’s also easy in that negative frame of mind to put others down in order to make myself feel better about me. twclass.org to find our more about The Warrior Commission, our warrior training in relationship with God, Identity and our passion in intercession.

I have learned that I can choose. I can recognize the thoughts and comparisons that do not line up with God’s heart of love and I can choose not to entertain those thoughts any longer. I choose instead, and very consciously, to be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love as Paul exhorts the Colossians (Colossians 3:12 – 14).

Compassion means to show love and mercy, to have deep sympathy for the suffering of others. I can be full of compassion because my Father is (Exodus 34: 6 & 7). As I have made this identity journey with the Lord, He has been replacing all my comparison thinking with His compassion; for myself and others.

I am now able to truly enjoy who I am and where I am in my journey, and that while I am certainly still learning, I am encouraged by His deep and abiding compassion for me. This enables me to celebrate, to cheer on and to encourage others in their identity journeys, and this is a much better place to live!

Linda Smallbones
Warrior Commission Member

We find transformation and growth in so many ways. Go to twclass.org to find our more about The Warrior Commission, our warrior training in relationship with God, identity and our passion for process based intercession.