If you’re stuck in a waiting season and it feels like everyone else is moving forward, you’re not alone—and you’re not crazy for feeling discouraged. Comparison has a way of making God’s “not yet” feel like “not you,” especially when social media constantly puts other people’s milestones in front of your face. In this post, we’re talking about why comparison makes waiting on God harder, what Scripture reveals about the comparison trap (Cain and Abel, Saul and David), and how to shift your focus back to faithfulness when you can’t see fruit yet—so you can keep planting, keep trusting, and keep going without giving up.
We live in a world that measures life by speed and visibility. Social media has made alot of us struggle with what is known as the comparison trap.
Years ago we weren’t able to see what happens behind the scenes. Now that we can see into the lives of others, we begin to compare our lives to their lives. Causing us to be discontent and even envious. Wanting what they have and wondering why God hasn’t blessed us yet.
Just the other day, I found myself asking a different question—one that sounded spiritual on the surface but was rooted in something deeper.
“Am I really making a difference?”
I obeyed when God called me to start a blog in 2020. Here it is 2026 and I barely get 100 views a day, and the majority of that is from one blog post. In the meantime, I hear of other bloggers getting thousands of views a day.
I obeyed when God called me to open an Etsy shop in 2022. Here again its 2026 and I am averaging about $30 in sales a week. Because of this I decided to invest in an expensive online Etsy course that was to help with optimizing my shop. Improving it to help it stand out in search results. But to no avail I am still bringing in only $30 a week. While others that are taking the same course are making thousands per month.
I obeyed when God called me to write my first book, Unleash God’s Word in Your Life, in 2024. Ok I don’t have to tell you it’s 2026, but I have only sold 38 books in the past year. While others in my genre are best sellers. Some ranking #1 on Amazon within the first several weeks of their launch.
So, I began to wonder.
“Maybe I didn’t hear God correctly when He called me?”
“Others are doing better than me, so what am I doing wrong?”
“No one is going to read my blog posts or books”
“I am not as good as the others out there, maybe I should just quit”
“I’ve obeyed, why isn’t God blessing me?”
At first I didn’t think it was a comparison issue. I thought it was just discouragement. I thought it was just burnout. I thought it was just me being honest about my results.
But then I noticed the repeating pattern beneath all those thoughts:
I wasn’t simply discouraged—I was measuring my calling against someone else’s timeline.
I wasn’t simply tired—I was using other people’s outcomes as proof that I must be failing.
I wasn’t simply questioning my work—I was questioning God’s faithfulness because I couldn’t see fruit fast enough.
That’s when I realized what was happening.
It was comparison.
COMPARISON IN THE BIBLE
There are many stories of people in the Bible with comparison issues. I am only going to mention a few just so you get the idea that comparison did exist back in Biblical times.
We start with Cain and Abel. Cain was the oldest brother who was a farmer that tilled the ground. Abel was a shepherd who cared for sheep. Both of the brothers made offerings or sacrifices to God. Cain offered the produce from the land and Abel offered the first born of his flock. But for some reason God only favored Abel’s sacrifice. We don’t know why God was more pleased with Abel’s offering. There isn’t always a clear reason why others seem to have more favor from God.
But we see from this example that resentment and envy start to build in Cain’s heart. He begins to compare, “Why was God blessing Abel and not him?”
Cain began to resent God and to despise his brother. This eventually led to Cain murdering his brother.
Have you ever wondered why God may bless others when He should be blessing you?
Another story I want to share is about King Saul and David.
God chooses Saul to be king because the Israelites asked for a king. But later Saul disobeys God and God rejects him. God then appoints David to be king. At first everything was good between King Saul and David. David had defeated Goliath and brought the Israelites to victory. So of course things were going pretty smoothly.
But because of Saul’s disobedience God’s favor shifted and Saul began to grow jealous of David. Saul constantly compared his situation to David’s. He saw how David was growing in popularity and how God was blessing him.
Saul used to be where David was and now the tables had turned and it was David’s turn to be blessed. Saul saw this as a threat and began persecuting David. Hunting him down to kill him.
Gary Inrig says it best when he says, Jealousy is the attitude that makes us grasp for what we have. Whereas envy is the drive that makes us reach for what others have. (Quality Friendship by Gary Inrig)
We can easily fall into the same trap as Saul. Maybe we were once blessed and now God is no longer shining His favor upon us.
Regardless of God’s reasons behind him withholding our blessings we need to respond in a Godly way.
Saul wanted to hold onto his reign as king. Instead of earnestly seeking out God he chose to go after David.
We see someone else taking what we think we deserve or once had. So we become envious of their success and abilities.
Instead we should take and follow what Saul’s son did. His son, Jonathan, had every reason to compare himself to David. He was heir to the throne. But Jonathan trusted God and celebrated David’s success. Both are very hard to do. But the more we trust God and let Him do His thing, the more we will be able to see His work and therefore trust Him more when hard things like this come into our lives.
Which person are you most likely to be, Saul or Jonathan?
WE ARE THE PLANTER
This morning in my Bible reading time I am being reminded of 1 Corinthians 3: 6-8. This is where Paul is speaking to the church of Corinth about an issue they were having. They were arguing over which one to follow, Paul or Apollos. Paul goes on to tell them in verse 6 that he planted the seed, Apollos watered it, and God has been making it grow. Verse 7 says, neither one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
Paul is telling us that we are the planter and God is the provider.
Our assignment is faithfulness. God’s assignment is fruit.
God asks for our obedience, not our visibility.
He asks for our yes, not our numbers.
He asks for our faithfulness, not our fame.
That means I don’t have to manufacture outcomes to prove I heard God. I don’t have to compete with others to validate my calling. I don’t have to panic when growth looks slow.
We need to continue to do only what He has asked us to do and nothing more.
In my case I need to continue to write my blog posts, develop printables for my Etsy shop, and write a book if I am being prompted too. Do only those things until He tells me otherwise. God will take care of the rest. I am planting the seeds by sharing my stories and developing printables to help people in their walk with God. God will then make those seeds grow. In His time. Not mine.
Galatians 6: 7-9 says this, Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
We reap what we sow.
We sow good seed; we will reap a bountiful harvest. We sow bad seed; we will reap the consequences that follow. Some seeds will reap quickly while others will take some time. But I don’t want you to be discouraged with that thought. The season for your seeds to reap a harvest will come. By not giving up and staying the course God has set before you, you will reap rich dividends later. Faithfulness in such situations will produce a rich harvest, for God always keeps His promises.
CONCLUSION
If you’re in a season where you’re tired of waiting and you can feel comparison trying to steal your peace, I created something to help you stay rooted and steady. My 30-Day Waiting With Faith Devotional is a simple day-by-day guide to help you keep your eyes on God when you don’t see fruit yet. Each day includes Scripture, devotional encouragement, and a prayer to help you trust His timing, fight discouragement, and remain faithful in the hidden season. If you’re ready to stop measuring your progress by what you see and start strengthening your faith while you wait, this devotional was made for you. You can grab the 30-Day Waiting With Faith Devotional here and let’s walk through this season together—one faithful day at a time.
P.S. If you need a little more encouragement for this season, these blog posts may help too:
How to Remove Fear and Trust God
When God Says “Not Yet”: Trusting Him in the Hidden Season
P.S.S. If you were blessed by this blog post you’ll enjoy my newsletter! I help you hear God’s voice and apply His Word to everyday circumstances.
Every other Monday I will send to your inbox faith-filled insights, practical Bible applications, my personal stories, occasional FREEBIES, and encouragement to help you develop a deeper relationship with God.
Don’t miss out—sign up today and let God’s Word transform your everyday life!
