The Thief of Joy
Repeat after me: “I am not behind those around me, nor am I ahead of them.”
This simple truth has been showing up everywhere lately—during mindless social media scrolls, in quiet moments with Jesus, and in heartfelt conversations with friends. And honestly? It’s been hitting hard.
Can I be real with you, friend? These past few months, the word “joyful” hasn’t exactly described me or the way I’ve been viewing my life. My time with Jesus? Practically nonexistent. I wasn’t opening my Bible or praying—not because I didn’t want to, but because I felt… invisible. Like I was living in the background, watching everyone else step into the very life I had worked so hard for, or even prayed so hard for.
There was a stretch of weeks where it felt like everyone was hitting these huge milestones. Two close friends got engaged. Another texted me, giddy about her new boyfriend. One was planning her dream wedding. Someone else sent pictures of their dreamy travels. And another? Just bought her forever home with her fiancé.
I was genuinely SO excited for them—I’m that friend who will show up, pop the champagne, and celebrate every big moment. But somewhere in all that cheering, I felt this quiet ache. It felt like I was pouring every bit of my energy into celebrating everyone else’s joy, and somewhere along the way, I forgot how to see the joy in my own life.
Because, honestly, what was there to celebrate in comparison? Working 70-hour weeks? Spending nights alone? Hustling to get my businesses off the ground? Booking one client while others seemed to be living their dream lives on fast forward?
I didn’t realize it right away, but I was spiraling deep into comparison.
And comparison? It’s sneaky. It shifts our focus from what God is doing in our lives and locks our gaze onto what He’s doing in someone else’s. It whispers that we’re behind, that we’re missing out, that we’re not enough. And before you know it, the joy that once filled your life feels… gone.
But here’s what I’m learning: God’s timeline for my life isn’t delayed just because it looks different from someone else’s.
Joy isn’t found in hitting certain milestones at the “right” time. It’s found in recognizing God’s hand in the here and now—in the quiet nights, the small wins, the deep conversations, and even the waiting.
There’s a wise man who once said, “Comparison is the thief of all joy.” And let me tell you, friend, that truth has never hit harder for me than it has in this season.
The Bible speaks right into this in Galatians 6:4-5: “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.”
Here’s what I’ve come to realize—comparison blinds us. It keeps our focus locked on what we don’t have, especially when it looks like everyone else has it all. But the truth? You do have it all—for you and for this specific season you’re in.
You can be praying, waiting, hoping, and trusting God, and still feel like you’re on the sidelines, waving your pom-poms as everyone else scores the big wins. But here’s what I’m clinging to: Jesus is a Promise Keeper. He hears your prayers, even when it feels silent, and He will answer them in the time that’s just right for you.
Philippians 4:11-13 reminds us of this perspective:
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation... I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
A few days ago, I had one of those raw, no-filter talks with Jesus. I laid it all out—the gratitude I should feel, mixed with the ache for the things I’m still waiting and praying for. It was messy. It was honest. And it was necessary.
Because sometimes? Having faith is hard. Trusting God feels simple until you’re stuck in the waiting room, staring at closed doors and wondering if He’s forgotten about you.
But here’s something that shifted my heart: “Faith is only faith because you’re believing in what’s unseen.”
Read that again.
It’s easy to have faith when things are going right. But real, raw, stretch-you-out faith? That shows up in the waiting. In the silence. In the unseen.
And here’s the best part—Jesus doesn’t expect you to muscle through it alone. In fact, He invites you to lean in, especially when you feel weak or stuck in comparison.
Colossians 3:2 echoed in my mind during this season:
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Comparison pulls our eyes downward—to what’s flashy, immediate, and seemingly “better.” But Jesus? He calls us to lift our gaze. To surrender the timelines, the pressure, and the control, and trust that His plans are still for our good.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11
So, friend, if you’re feeling trapped in comparison right now, I want you to do three things with me:
Repeat after me: “I am not behind those around me, nor am I ahead of them.”
Celebrate others well, but don’t forget to celebrate YOU—the big wins, the small joys, and everything in between.
Recognize God’s hand in your here and now. Try journaling one thing each day where you saw Jesus show up—whether in a conversation, a moment of peace, or even the tiniest win.
Comparison may be a thief, but joy? Joy is still within reach—you just have to fix your eyes back on the One who’s been writing your story all along. 💛
