Prayers for contentment and comparison
Comparing my life to everyone else's
For the pull to measure your life against someone else's.
Also for comparison · comparing myself · everyone is ahead of me · behind in life · others have it better · why not me · measuring up · falling behind · their life is better · envy · left behind · unfair
But let each man examine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself, and not in someone else. For each man will bear his own burden.
Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.”
Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. I know how to be humbled, and I also know how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.
Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.
For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.
A prayer
Original writing, not a quotation of Scripture.
Lord, I keep looking sideways. Someone my age has the house, the career, the marriage, the children, and I feel like I missed a turn somewhere. When Peter asked about John's future, you told him to follow you.
Say that to me today. My story was never meant to run on someone else's timeline. Help me be grateful for the path you gave me and faithful in the part of it I'm standing on right now.
In Jesus' name, Amen.