Photoshop Religion

But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. (Galatians 6:4)

 

Nothing could be more spiritually oppressive than what I want to call “OCD: obsessive comparison disorder.” This type of OCD shows up when you spend all of your time comparing your life to the lives of others, determining your value based upon how your family, your finances, and your faith compare to your neighbor.  

When you have to hide who you are to appease what others think, you are self-harming. When you try to dumb yourself down so you can make others comfortable, you are self-harming. And when you compare your life with others thinking your life should look like theirs, you are self-harming.  

The reason this is so dangerous is because we typically don’t see a full picture of what other people’s lives are like. We only get the highlights.  

Take social media for example. People rarely post their imperfections. What they show you has been photoshopped, airbrushed, edited, and made to appear more attractive than it really is.  

God doesn’t want us living in bondage to a photoshop religion, a religion that seeks to gain the likes of others but leaves you empty on the inside. So, with that in mind, let’s stay focused on the journey ahead. Don’t beat yourself up by trying to measure yourself by the standards of others. Instead, look to the Word of God. See what His expectations and His standards are for you and live according to those. As you do, you will begin to overcome obsessive comparison disorder, and you will find more peace, more fulfillment, and more contentment in Christ.