Oct. 22, 2025

When You're Tempted to Compare

When You're Tempted to Compare

Comparison steals joy, but focus restores peace. In this episode, discover how to stop measuring yourself against others and start living the life God designed just for you.

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Comparison steals joy, but focus restores peace. In this episode, discover how to stop measuring yourself against others and start living the life God designed just for you.

Do you ever catch yourself comparing your life to someone else’s?

Maybe it’s a friend’s success, someone’s perfect family photo, or a coworker’s promotion. The temptation to measure yourself against others is constant, but it’s also exhausting.

In today’s devotion, you’ll hear the story of Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky, who learned early that freedom comes from focusing on her own race, not anyone else’s. Her words echo the heart of Scripture: stay in your lane, keep your eyes on Jesus, and trust God with your progress.

Main Scripture:

Galatians 6:4 – “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.”

Supporting Scripture:

John 21:22 – “Jesus replied, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow Me.’”

By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:

  • Why comparison drains joy and confidence
  • How to focus on faithfulness instead of competition
  • The simple shift that frees you to run your own race

Today’s Challenge:

When you feel the urge to compare, pause and pray: “Lord, help me stay in my lane. Thank You for what You’ve given me. Teach me to run my race with joy.” Then, write down one thing you’re grateful for that has nothing to do with anyone else’s success.

Encouraged by today’s devotion?

Share this episode with a friend who’s struggling with comparison. 

https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com/92

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Website: https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com

Feeling spiritually drained? Start here. Download your free copy of my eBook Making Time for Jesus here.

WEBVTT

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'There are cameras everywhere. The world is waiting to see if Katie Ledecky will break another record. She steps onto the block, but she isn't scanning the lanes to her left or right. Her focus narrows to the black line on the bottom of

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'Don't swim anyone else's race. Run your race.' you don't have to win the race. You just need to win your race.

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart LeJay.

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Today we're talking about one of the biggest joy-stealers in

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comparison. You scroll through social media or look around at co-workers, neighbors, or even other believers and it's easy to think,'Well, they're doing better than me.' But God never called you to run their race. He called you to

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4 says,'Pay careful attention to your own work, or then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone

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God has created us for a purpose, but when we compare ourselves to others, it becomes about performance. We start measuring our worth by someone else's highlight reel, instead of,

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peace comes when we stop glancing sideways and start looking upward. When Jesus told Peter, 'What is that to you? You follow Me.' He was reminding Him, and us, that our calling, isn't identical to that of someone else's. You have a unique lane.

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Your pace will not be the same as someone else's. And you have a unique purpose. That's what Kay That's what Katie Ledecky understands. She says she learned early on that she can't control what others do only how she swims her race. That mindset keeps her calm under pressure, and focused on growth and how to get better and how to get faster, not comparison.

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measure of success isn't true.

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God's measure of success isn't who you outperformed, but whether you were faithful to the race He gave you. When you choose gratitude over comparison, your soul finds rest again, and you don't have to compare. Only follow Jesus. This week, when you feel that tug to compare your progress or your possessions with others, pause and pray, "Lord, help me to stay in my lane. Thank you for what you've given me. And teach me to run my race with joy, the race that you would have me to run." Then, write down one thing you're thankful for, that has nothing to do with anyone else.

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"Lord, thank you for reminding us that you've called each of us to a single unique forgive us for the times we've looked to the left or right, instead of keeping our eyes on you. Help us to stay faithful and content, and help us to stay focused on the purpose you've given us." In Jesus name, Amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives.

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Remember, peace comes when you stop running someone else's race and trust God's plan for yours.

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Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless and have a great day.