10 bible verses for when you play the comparison game

Looking for Bible verses to fight comparison in your life? Read on!

Comparison. It strikes like lightning.

It might happen as I’m scrolling through my Instagram feed, or while I’m visiting a friend, or when I’m at the store. But it doesn’t matter who. It could be someone I know well, or someone I don’t know at all.

Suddenly I am measuring myself up to them – am I as happy? As pretty? As smart? How do my accomplishments stack up to them? Am I less than them?

Struggling with comparison is unfortunately fairly common.

And the comparison game can go one of two nasty ways.

Either I end up jealous, angry, and strangely forgetful of all my blessings while I focus on someone else’s. Or I’m arrogant, proud, and snobbishly thinking of how much better off I am than someone else.

Instantly shame and guilt set in. I wonder if everyone around me can see it on my face. I try to think of nice things instead, as if to make up for it right away.

It’s not as though other people threaten me in some way. Someone else’s happiness doesn’t come at my expense. (But even if it did, shouldn’t I have a more generous attitude?)

And how other people live or act should not have a lasting effect on me either. But in the moment, I can play the judge.

Why do we compare to others?

Often for me it comes back to being focused too much on myself or the world around me, and not enough on God.

God created us to be fearfully and wonderfully made. He has purpose for us, and we have incredible worth in God. 

When we measure according to the standards of the world, we’ll always come up short. But when we measure according to God’s standards and his perspective, we’ll see his plan and purpose for our lives, and the amazing care and detail he put into making us who we are.

It’s embarrassing to admit struggling with comparison, envy and pride.

But it’s my hope that if you can relate to this struggle, we can work through it together. I want to share real life with you guys, and let you know I’m normal.

One of Satan’s biggest ploys is to make us think that we are alone in our sins and struggles. I hope that by confessing this, and sharing some scriptures on struggling with comparison, it can encourage someone else who might be fighting it.

To help us in our battle against comparison, here are 10 Bible verses about comparing yourself to others.

…in case I’m not the only one who struggles with it. (Right? Anyone?)

Hopefully this little comparison devotional will help in the battle against it in our lives. The roots of comparison go deeper than how we measure up to other people. When we change our perspective on it, seeking humility brings us closer to God and others.

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Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails… – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NIV 

We cannot love others when comparison gets in the way. By its very nature, comparison and the results of it are contrary to love.

It means impatience with others, ourselves and our own journeys; it seeks opportunities to boast. It’s pride – thinking of ourselves first. It can be straight-up envy. 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:2-4 NIV

What is comparison but feeding our selfish ambition and conceit? How can we instead rejoice with others, looking to their interests instead of our own?

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3:15-17 NIV

Our walks with God and others operate well on a gentle rhythm of peace and gratitude. Comparing to others makes for a jagged beat, a set of highs and lows based on ourselves and our perceived victories or defeats. 

Also gratitude truly changes everything. If we start with gratitude instead of focusing on what we lack (abundance vs scarcity mindset), it’s much less likely we’ll spend our time stacking ourselves up against other people.

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things, there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. – Galatians 5:22-25 NIV

What good fruit is your life producing? What are you striving towards?

Also that last verse is so real – we flatter ourselves and envy other people in our comparison moments. 

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable, “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. – Luke 18:9-14 NIV

One of the strongest Bible verses on struggling with comparison – a vivid visual where we can see what God values most.

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. – Romans 3:21-24 NIV 

We are all on the same playing field before God. 

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye! – Matthew 7:1-5 NIV

It hits me hard to realize that the tools I use to weigh other people will be the same ones that weigh me. How generous are we with others? Is it as much graciousness as we hope to receive?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV 

Read from verse 1 for more. But if grace is the most important thing, and it’s completely unearned – why should our rank matter?

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. – Colossians 3:1-3 NIV 

The physical is temporary and not important. What’s most important? Setting our minds on things above. 

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:37-39 NIV 

God’s love does not equal the types or amount of blessings that we see – it is bigger and more loyal and more heartfelt than we can understand.

BONUS VERSE: A recent reminder for me:

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. – James 3:14-16 NIV

Whew. James doesn’t pull punches here. Holding onto our envy and looking to build ourselves up in front of others is sin, plain and simple.

And how to fight comparison and stop comparing yourself to others?

Secrets to fighting comparison include:

Read and learn scriptures on comparison always helps.

Pray to see others and the world around you the way God sees them. 

Figure out what you’re grateful for. Gratitude changes your perspective on everything.

Remember that the thing that counts – grace – is completely unearnable and unachievable by anyone.

Consider God and others first. 

What about you?

Do you have trouble fighting comparison in your life? What helps you to be more generous with others?

Scriptures are quoted from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Photo Credit: 

1 – Alex Geerts on Unsplash

2 – Jennifer Burk on Unsplash

3 – ᴊᴀᴄʜʏᴍ ᴍɪᴄʜᴀʟ on Unsplash