Part four of “Because God Said,” our question for today is how do I overcome comparison? Comparison rears its head in different ways, for example, through appearance, material objects, career status, and relationships. In essence, each aspect of our lives can be or is touched by comparison, and it is generally connected to people. Is comparison ever a good thing? Ask yourself this has there ever been a point after comparing yourself where you felt good about yourself? How about content in your life?
Though there are various aspects of life one can compare, in the story of Hannah, we can learn how we can overcome it when it does arise. In 1 Samuel 1:1-10 the author writes,
“There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8Her husband Elkanah would say to her, ‘Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?’
9Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. 10In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.”
In verses 5-6, we are made aware Hannah was barren and the reason for her barrenness was “Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb” (verse 6a). Did Hannah know the Lord was keeping her from having a child? It is plausible since her sister wife Peninnah was having children, and she was not. It is also plausible Hannah believed she was the reason she was not having children. As the reader, we know with certainty God was the reason given God’s Word is third person omniscient.
Whether Hannah knew the true reason for why her long-awaited desire had yet to be fulfilled or not, during our waiting, there are often triggers, which set comparison into motion. What was Hannah’s trigger? Look at verses 6b-7 again, which says, “[H]er rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.” Hannah had been waiting for years for a child, and during those years, Peninnah kept provoking Hannah.
Peninnah is a representation of what the enemy does in our lives when our desire(s) has yet to come to fruition. The enemy hits us with lies and reminders of what we do not have. For us, it may not be a person provoking us. Our trigger, which leads us to compare might be social media, magazines, movies, TV, books, or when the Lord answers the prayer for a similar or same desire for someone in our lives.
In addition, the trigger can also come when we are drawing near to the Lord. Did you notice when Peninnah provoked Hannah? Verse 7a says it happened, “Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord.” When you are faithful in spending time with God, obeying Him, and following His ways, the enemy will remind you of what you do not have and feed you lies about why.
Then what should our response be when comparative thoughts want to consume us? How do we overcome comparison? Look to Hannah’s example in verse 10. It says, “In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.” Peninnah’s provoking did get to Hannah deeply year after year. Yet, amid the painful reminders of what she did not have and the longing for a child, Hannah turned to the One who could truly comfort her.
Let Hannah’s response encourage you to cry out to the Lord in the middle of your longing. Let her response challenge you to seek Him when you are wrestling with comparison. As you turn to the Lord, ask Him to show you what triggers you, and leads you to compare your circumstances to others. Ask Him to remind you of all the ways He has answered and exceeded in other areas of your life.
The truth is like Hannah, your wait is not a punishment from God, but a beautiful gift from Him. We do not know what is on the other side of the answered prayer but guarantee the fulfilled desire will not be solely for you, but for others too. Hannah’s journey was not the same as Peninnah; Hannah did not know the long-awaited child she would later have would be a prophet, the final judge of Israel, and the one God used to anoint the first two kings of Israel. The journey the Lord has you on is not the same one as whomever you are comparing yourself. God is preparing you in the waiting, He is transforming you, and He is inviting you to draw near to Him during this precious time. So, will you choose to embrace this time with Him? Will you allow Him to prepare you and transform you?
All Bible verses are from Holy Bible: New International Version