What robs us of joy? Author Jennifer Grant says that our inclination to comparison is a prime culprit. No matter what we value in life, we humans can’t help but compare ourselves to each other.

We’re all susceptible to this trap. And when combined with the allure of social media, this universal problem becomes a 24/7 pitfall. While offering us a chance to connect and share meaningful moments across the globe, our postings can also serve as vehicles to showcase only our most polished efforts.

We publish the illusion that our families, our career paths, our workout programs, and even our food choices are flawlessly following a script of our own writing. Instead of bringing us together, social media can be a trophy case for our accomplishments. The imperfections that ought to reveal our shared humanity remain buried in a calculated obscurity.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Grant calls for a realistic approach that includes honest self-examination and a realignment of our priorities, deliberately using social media for the good of friends, neighbors, and ourselves. For it is only as we acknowledge the One who created us and put his desire in our hearts that we can learn to pursue the things that last.

Our Daily Bread Ministries