I love Instagram. And in this time of lockdown, I appreciate it even more so. The dreamy scenescapes, the interiors, those insane cakes that look like toilet rolls but then they’re cut into and it’s this delicate sponge…

I feel so inspired that I try to recreate those carefully styled shots in earnest, with such a vision of how I want them to look. The sad result? I’m always left woefully disappointed as they never compare to the influencers.

What do we do when our lives don’t compare to what we see on our feeds? Or the lives of our friends, our colleagues, our family?

I read once ‘comparison is the thief of joy’. The reality is when you look at someone else’s life, you don’t really know what is actually going on. I’ve done enough photoshoots in my job – where I walk on to set and can’t even tell who the model is, and we shoot pictures that don’t look remotely impressive before they’re retouched – to know that an image isn’t the whole reality.

Some situations in life bring out our competitive side. But what we have to remember is that God is the God of the abundantly more. God doesn’t worry if I give this blessing to Jen, then there won’t be enough blessings for Fay. With Him, there is always enough.

Each of our walks is different – which can be frustrating when our friend gets that amazing job or amazing flat – but God knows us. He knows His plans for us and He is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

I often fall into the line of thinking that if I can get to such-and-such life stage, then I’ll be fully satisfied. But the truth is God has put you where you are for a reason. He is using you in the season you are in and if He took you and plopped you into Fay’s life, then the world would miss out on the multitude of things He’s doing for the kingdom through you.

When we know our identity, we can let go of comparison which can be so crippling. When we spot ourselves with a measuring stick, trying to judge ourselves against others, we need to jack up our knowledge of who we are. You are a daughter of the most precious High King. Uniquely created, He delights over you. The ruler of the world lights up every time He looks at you. And He has called you to walk in the freedom that comes from knowing who you are, not how you compare to someone else.

In the same way that we don’t know what’s going on behind the lens of that Instagram post, you don’t know all the ways that other people are seeing and admiring you. Instagram projects a not- always – truthful perfection but God’s love is perfect, and it’s yours for the taking.

Today, let’s go down deep with Jesus and be filled to the measure with all the fullness of Him (Ephesians 3:19). Let’s get our identities so rooted in Christ that we can turn from comparison to championing others, however annoyingly seamless their lives seem on the outside. When we knowwho we are and that we’ve been put where we are for a reason, we can dance in all the freedom of our lineage as daughters of our Daddy God.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Written by Rhia