March 17, 2021

Mar 17, 2021    Kary Niles

How do you feel when you don’t measure up? We might have feelings of worthlessness or unworthiness. Or that everyone around us is better than we are. Or we feel like we are incapable of doing anything worth doing. Then we may tend to do things halfway or not even start them for fear of failure. Ultimately, we might even feel like we have failed God. Does that sound about right?

When we feel this way, we probably need to take a step back and look at what or whom we are comparing ourselves to. Most often we are comparing ourselves to those around us. Should we compare ourselves to others? Probably not. I think the only standard we need to live up to is God’s standard. I recently came across this quote again…“You are a worthy human being exactly the way you are and God has designed you for a specific purpose. Mental and spiritual health begin with an acceptance of life as it is and a willingness to make the most of what has been given. When that is achieved, comparison with others is no longer an important issue.” – unknown

Jeremiah 1:5 says, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.” That verse can’t be any clearer…that God made you as you are and He made you for a specific purpose. How about Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Everything that has happened (the past), is happening (the present) and will happen in your life (the future), God will work it out for the glory of His Kingdom. That is ultimately what His purpose is for us. To glorify Him in His Kingdom.

Unfortunately, we are human and think human thoughts. It is so easy for us to look at those around us and say, “I’m not quite up to so-n-so’s level in this area, but look how far I am ahead of them in this area.” Oh, that we may bite our tongues and capture those torturous thoughts. God’s not comparing us to those around us, so why do we do it? Do you realize that when we feel beneath someone else, it’s only because we allow ourselves to believe that we are beneath them. They may not even think that they are better than you. But we sure feel that we are worth less than them, don’t we? And whose fault is that? It’s our own fault. We are responsible for comparing ourselves with them. Stop doing that, dear friends. Do you not know how much you are worth to God?

Let me tell you how much you are worth to Him, in case you’ve forgotten. He valued us so much that He sent His Son to earth as a baby. His Son grew up here and had a ministry explaining the way of salvation to those in that day. He told all that would listen to him. Then He suffered and died. But thankfully, He rose again from the dead to save us from our sins. God could have redeemed us another way if He chose to, but He didn’t. He chose to allow His only Son to die for the sins of all mankind. All mankind – those who had lived before Jesus was on earth, those who live in Jesus’ day, and those who were yet to be born. Did we deserve it? Absolutely not! But that is the value that God places on each of us. Our worth was valued at the price of Christ’s blood. Is there anything worth more than that?

So quit devaluing yourself. Quit comparing yourself to others. Remember the value He has placed on you.