The Christian Inferiority Complex

[renniks]

How do you stop comparing yourself to other Christians?

I definitely commend the on-fire-every-moment sorts of people; I think a faith that burns bright like that is so, so amazing. But it’s hard not to get discouraged when you see people on social media who journal all the time, who read Christian books every week, who have amazing prayer lives, who seem so confident in their relationship with God all the time. I know they’re not perfect, and many of them are genuinely honest about their struggles. Even so, I can’t help but feel guilty. I’m just...not like that. Or I’m in a different place. I know this is a journey, and different people have different-looking walks. It’s so easy to fall into the “I’m not crazy on-fire like them, so I must be lukewarm” mindset.

How do you break free from that?

Stop looking at other people for confirmation and look to God.

 

[Junia]

One thing that may help you here is to realize you can make the same argument about anything in life. Take coffee snobs for example who are always hyped up about and studying coffee.

Change your viewpoint about contagious Christians and try to let them be an encouragement/inspiration to you.

The thing you have to be careful of here is that you don't want to let your insecurities cause you to be guilt-tripped into performing works for God. Our relationship with God should be one based on love, not fear. meaning we should serve Him because we want to not because we have to.

thank you. i needed this also.

 

[Bobber]

Forget how you feel about so called super Christians. What are you going to do with your life? It is your choices not theres that God will measure you by.

Good thoughts. Ultimately the ONLY thing that's important is for us to find God's will for ourselves and have him say at the end of life's journey, "Well done good and faithful servant." The super Christians may hear that. Or they may not meaning they may not have been as super as one might think. We should hope are all however but just keep the focus on working on ourselves.

 

[Martyr's Crown]

I am reminded of these bibleverses:

Galatians 6:4-5(NLT)

"Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.

For we are each responsible for our own conduct."

Luke 16:10(NLT)

"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities."

I was one time talking together with two earlier friends of mine in a Café where we liked to meet. One of them mentioned about how spiritual and close to God many Christian authors and preachers had to be, and that we would never come to that same level as they were at. I thought to myself that I wanted to get closer to God, and I believed we could manage growing closer to Him with our relationship to Him and faith in Him. So I disagreed with them, thinking there are no limit needed, whether one is an author, preacher or common believer in Christ.

In these days it seems to be a lot of focus on status among Christians. How much they do, how spiritual they are, etc... even though you do grow closer to God when you spend a lot of time in His Word, praying to Him, praising Him... This will help you staying in the Spirit. But it shouldn't become a competition.

When you start becoming faithful in the small things which God gives to you, you will increase more into getting bigger things. This has with faithfulness to do, as well as desiring for having more growth in Him. Not to show off, not to have much focus set on you. Once you realize it is all about Him, you won't feel confident in your own skin any more. Your confidence should come through Christ Jesus, which means you will have to deny yourself.

Focus more on your own relationship to Jesus. Which is more than how you feel. Even if you don't feel like it, discipline yourself to pray to Him, and to read in the bible. It will be more blessed when you do, and it will bring forth more fruit from it, even though you may not notice much at first. It will help you become stronger set, also in endurance.

What may seem as very small in efforts now, will grow into greater efforts. But first you need to start in the small ones before you can manage greater ones. Faithfulness is very important to God. But what needs to come first is your desire for a growing relationship with Him, as without this it won't be of any worth to Him every thing you do.

Keep on growing closer to Jesus Christ, not comparing yourself to others. Just to be desiring for Him and Him alone! This is what is pleasing to God!

 

[Sunshinee777]

When you do your best in everything you do, you don't have time to compare yourself to others. And I think you haven't filled with God's love if you think you need to compare yourself to others. Are you newborn christian ? Read more bible