Truthbomb Tuesday: Comparison Always Steals Joy

Comparison is sneaky. It doesn’t always show up loud and obvious—it slips in quietly through small thoughts like, “She seems so much happier than me,” or “If I just had what they have, I’d be content.” But comparison never comes without cost. It drains joy, shifts focus, and whispers the lie that what God gave you isn’t enough.

The more we look sideways, the less we look up. And that’s where joy starts to fade.

I’ve often said that joy is the anchor we have when we tie ourselves to Jesus. That’s still true—it’s unshakably true. But I’ve also learned something else along the way: joy is a fruit of presence.

You can’t experience joy when you’re living in someone else’s story or replaying your own shortcomings. Joy grows in the present moment—in the noticing, the gratitude, the slowing down long enough to see what’s good right where you are.

Comparison pulls you out of the present. It distracts you from what God is doing in your life and convinces you that joy lives somewhere else—in someone else’s marriage, home, platform, or timeline. But joy doesn’t live there. It lives here.

Joy as a Fruit of Presence

Joy is not something you chase; it’s something you notice when you stop running.When you’re fully present—with God, with yourself, with others—you create space for joy to take root.

From a therapeutic standpoint, presence tells your brain you’re safe. You’re not in the past (where regret lives) or in the future (where anxiety grows). You’re right here—and that’s where peace and joy can breathe.

From a spiritual standpoint, presence is where you meet Jesus. It’s where your soul remembers that He is your enough.

Presence protects joy. Comparison erodes it.

Try This

1. Catch it early: When comparison sneaks in, name it out loud—“That’s not my story.” Then redirect your attention to what’s in front of you.

2. Practice gratitude on purpose: Joy and gratitude share the same soil. List three things right now that bring you peace or delight.

3. Return to presence: Take a deep breath and whisper, “Right here, right now, with Jesus.” Let that be enough.

Inviting God

Ask God to help you stay rooted in His presence, where joy is steady and comparison loses its grip. The more you practice noticing Him in your here and now, the more joy becomes your natural response.

“Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.” — Galatians 6:4 (NIV)

Let’s Connect

Leave a comment or reach out to me via the website—let’s talk about how this has sparked your desire for better living. I’ll see you back here tomorrow for Wellness Wednesday. And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any future posts.

If today’s message spoke to you, you’ll love my book My Pocket Counselor—it offers perspective-shifting truth and faith-filled guidance to help you grow emotionally and spiritually, one step at a time