By: Chris V Have you ever seen the cover of a magazine? How about the ones with covers of what I call Mary Poppins models- perfect in every way? Now, here’s the big question: have you ever started to compare yourself to those models? I know I have! Not only do we tend to compare ourselves to models, we also tend to compare ourselves to other girls (sometimes girls we don’t even know!) and evaluate how our bodies compare to theirs. According to a survey reported on by CBS, over ninety-seven percent of women struggle with body image and have at least one or more negative thoughts about their body per day. Comparing myself to other girls has, does, and will always continue to make me feel discontent about my body. What about you? This cycle of comparing ourselves and our bodies to other girls is commonly known as the comparison game. We take one look at another girl, think thoughts like “Wow! She has such a slim midsection! I wish I looked like that!” or “She’s so pretty! I wish I had the exact same skin tone as hers!”. Instead of forgetting those thoughts, our female brains file them away for later. When later does come, we go to great lengths to get “the look” at all costs, even going through physical and emotional trauma to try to make our bodies “better” and to fit in with our culture’s definition of beauty. Sound familiar? This way of thinking can be dangerous, not only to our physical and mental health, but also to our spiritual walk with Christ. Physical Health Catastrophe Most girls try to change their physical appearance through different techniques like excessive exercise, plastic surgeries, and refusing to eat. Why? These girls compare themselves to underweight models, who because they are so underweight, can have many health complications (sometimes even leading to death). This can lead to girls developing serious eating disorders, menstrual/pregnancy complications, organ failures, and in extreme cases, even death. Mental Health Meltdown According to a study done on body image in 2019, 57% of young adults feel anxious because of their body image, 10% of women have harmed themselves because they don’t “measure up”, and 13% of adults have experienced suicidal thoughts because of their perceived body image. This is some pretty serious stuff! How did the people taking the survey develop these mental ideals? By comparing their bodies to others and putting their value into their looks! Spiritual Slump When it comes to comparison, the most crucial factor that is detrimentally affected is your spiritual health. Satan uses those little seeds of comparison to plant lies in your life about your worth and value in Christ. Left unchecked, these lies can grow into weeds that not only choke your faith, but can also lead down a road of death and destruction in your physical and mental health. How to Break the Cycle of COMPARISON The first thing that needs to be realized is that you cannot break the comparison cycle on your own. It’s important to talk to your parents and/or any other trusted adult when you’re struggling with comparison, especially if it has led to serious health disorders (e.g. anorexia), but even before that, take the time to talk to God! Pray to him! Tell him how you’re struggling, and ask for help and wisdom in breaking free the cycle of comparison. Another thing is to memorize bible verses about your worth in Christ. As a child of God, you are worth way more than how your hair looks today! (In fact, you’re worth so much to Him, He sent his own Son, Jesus, to die on a cross and rise again to save you from sin and death! Take a look at John 3:16 and Romans 5:8.) A few verses that I love to look at, memorize, and think about when I’m struggling with comparison are:
Ladies, we can easily be burned by comparison in our quest for beauty that ultimately doesn’t last. (You can find out what lasting beauty is by checking out 1 Peter 3:4!) Instead of being stuck in comparison, remember that to God, your worth and value in Him is way more than how your body looks compared to touched-up images. Works CitedEaton, Lynn, and Rossalyn Warren. “How Much Does Poor Body Image Affect Mental Health?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 17 May 2019, www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/17/poor-body-image-mental-health. “Survey: 97 Percent of Women Have Negative Body Image.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 2 Mar. 2011, www.cbsnews.com/news/survey-97-percent-of-women-have-negative-body-image/. I'd love to hear from you! Have you ever got caught in the comparison trap? How did you, through Christ, break the cycle? Let me know in the comments below!
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March 2023
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