Resentment | Crosstraining 3.4.15

Hebrews 12:15 After becoming a Christian when I was 14 or 15, I began speaking at the small church I grew up in, taught Sunday school class, and small things like that here and there a few years later after I was out of High School. At the same time, I had two other friends who had been started speaking at churches. I remember comparing myself to them. They were given opportunities like getting calls to come speak at different churches or lead classes that I wasn’t getting. In truth, they were better than me, too. In some ways, I began to resent my two friends who were doing well. Even though my weaknesses and lack of opportunities had nothing to do with them, I caught myself getting frustrated with them because they were who I was comparing myself with. While I wouldn’t trade my path now for theirs or anyone else’s, my comparison led me to resent my friends. When we compare ourselves to others and decide we are better than who we are comparing ourselves to, it leads to pride. When we decide the people we are comparing ourselves to are superior to us in some way, it often leads to resentment. We covet what they have. We wish we could have their looks, skills, money, possessions, or situation. So much so that we even root for them to fail. We may not admit it to anyone else or even ourselves, but, if they fall, we look better in the process. God sees and uses us all in ways that are unique to us. There’s room for all of us to be successful and content in our own ways. When you base your own self worth on how you measure up to others, you are telling God that you wish He would have created you to be them instead of creating you to be you. Don’t rob yourself of the plan and purpose God created you to be. // TWO-A-DAYS // GO A LITTLE FARTHER WITH YOUR DAILY DEVOTIONS // Go through these questions with your spouse, kids, or friend, or you can even journal about the answers to these questions:

1. What was the best part of your day?
2. What was the toughest part of your day?
3. Where did you mess up today?
4. Where did you see God today?

Reflect: Comparison typically leads us to resent those we are comparing ourselves to. Do you ever find yourself resenting people because of what they have or you don’t have? Pray: In your prayer time today, confess to God the people you find yourself resenting because of your pride. Ask God to help you with your sin of comparing and resenting others. READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT: Today’s Reading: Acts 27  ]]>