“Quitters never win.” This trite, little phrase is one many of us probably heard throughout our childhood, and of course, we see the evident truth in it. How can one win if he gives up before it is all said and done? However, what if I told you it is not true in all cases? Quitters can win; it all just depends on what we are quitting.

This article is slightly different from my previous works because instead of encouraging you to start doing something, I am trying to convince you to do the exact opposite. I want you to quit—just stop it already! Please, stop comparing yourself to other people.

For some reason, many of us do this on a daily basis as we scroll through our news feed. We examine the lives of our peers, weighing their strengths and weaknesses, sizing them up, and longing for what we do not recognize in our own lives. Because God has created every one of us so undeniably unique, we tend to think we are wrong in some capacity because we are not the carbon copies of the people surrounding us.

With the demands of life, many young adults feel stretched, pulled, warped, and bent into fitting the mold of someone else’s expectations and life-plan. Have we neglected to realize God made each one of us absolutely unique for a reason? Do we not see the purpose He has for each and every individual placed on this planet? Let’s take a look at some of the biblically based and practical reasons why you should not be comparing your life to what you see in others’.

1. Comparison is the thief of joy [and unity].
When we evaluate our lives, we can see all the past failures along with all the strengths we possess. In looking at the lives of others, we can also see apparent weaknesses and strengths. Simply put, comparison can foster either unthankfulness or pride—both are sinful attitudes. God’s Word commands us to be thankful in all things and to run from a prideful mindset at all costs. It becomes difficult to do this when we are constantly looking at others and neglecting to give thanks to God for what He has given us and what He is doing in our lives.

Neither can we do this if we are looking at the downfalls and weaknesses of others in order to compensate for our own shortcomings. The enemy would love to steal our joy and cause division among the body of Christ, and when we get our eyes off course, we easily fall prey to his tactics. We are to rejoice with those that rejoice and mourn with those that mourn. When we are content with God, we will find His joy everlasting and work to bring unity amongst ourselves.

2. YOU are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139 is a beautiful and encouraging passage about God’s close attention to His children. To see God’s dedication to one individual in this manner speaks volumes about His value on one single person—His child. Verse 14 of this chapter reads, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Consider yourself; God gave you unique fingerprints because He chose you to be unique. Even identical twins have different fingerprints because God does not want to neglect giving His creation the luxury of being unique! He clearly values diversity, else there would be no differing skin tones, rainbows, or seasons for that matter. So, see the value in your uniqueness, and don’t strive so hard to be someone else.

3. Thou shalt not covet…
Exodus 20:17 makes this one very clear for those of us who need it spelled out in the Word. Wanting what other people have is forbidden by God. This is often overlooked by many of us, especially in this land of abundance and luxury. Media is constantly informing us of our “need” for the newest technology, clothing trend, or automobile. Unfortunately, since covetousness is considered a “respectable sin”—one we’ve allowed to go undetected for so long, we often forget it’s something God forbids. Let us not be found coveting our neighbor’s life and belongings. It is still in the Word of God, and we must still be submitted to His command.

4. God is the standard to live by, not your peers.
You would think peer pressure would drop off significantly after high school is over, but unfortunately that is not always the case. Peer pressure is a hurdle every human being will have to jump continually throughout the course of life. It does not end when we exit high school. Thankfully, we are not called to live by man’s expectations, but instead to seek God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. He is the standard to which we hold our lives. When we get our eyes off others and see how truly amazing Jesus is, we will be begging Him to shape and mold us to be more like Him and less like those around us.

5. You might be the eyes while others are the hands.
We cannot compare apples to oranges because they do not have the same qualities or function. Likewise, comparison and competition do not belong in the kingdom of God. Every individual has his/her own purpose and function. I Corinthians 12 offers a detailed explanation of what it means to be a member of the body of Christ. Each member has a function separate from the others, and without that function, the body would be lacking.

“For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?… But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.” This passage continues to say that every member of the body, with its unique function, is vitally important. If the whole body was made of ears, how would it see? If it was made completely of eyes, how would it smell? We are all different members made with different giftings, callings, personalities, and backgrounds—each one being a necessary component of the body, and this pleases God.

It is foolish and unfair for us to look around at others and compare callings and gifts. It does not please God, and it opens our heart to unthankfulness and covetousness. So what if your life doesn’t look like your friends’? Maybe it seems like every one is getting married, except you. Everyone has his or her dream job, except you. Everyone else is getting new cars, new phones, new relationships, and whatever else they want, except for you. What does it matter? When you seriously consider these things in light of God’s plan for your life, what really matters?

It is time for you to understand God has a plan specifically for your life. He knows the paths you will take and decisions you will make. Your life is not like anyone else’s, and it is not supposed to be. The only life your life is supposed to resemble is Christ’s.

So today, I hope I can convince you to quit. Quit the game of trying to have someone else’s life. Seek God’s perfect will for your path, study His Word, grow in prayer, and seek Him daily. Let His Spirit work on making you more like Him, and you will be surprised how much less you will want to be like others.

Sarah is the Hyphen contributor for InsideOut. She hails from South Carolina and recently graduated from Urshan College in Florissant, Missouri. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter.