Comparing Ourselves

I learned a while ago to stop comparing my sins to the sins of others. It's too easy to make myself feel self-righteous if I look at others who seem worse than I think I am. Sure I'm no murderer or thief but God knows whats in my heart and He reminds me that I have a LONG way to go. But, recently I thought of another way I compare myself to others and it is just as futile. I compare my problems with the problems of others. We all have something we are dealing with or are going through. It may be financial, it may be health problems of our own or someone we love, it may be relational or emotional but it's something. No one has a "perfect" life, even if that is what some people like to portray. So I find myself comparing my problems to someone else' and most of the time decide that my problems seem small compared to others. It makes me grateful for the blessings I do have but it also makes me minimize my own problems so that instead of taking them before the Lord, I try to take care of them myself. I start to think that God is busy taking care of others who have bigger problems and maybe I shouldn't bother Him. Thankfully God cares about all of our problems no matter how big or how small. He is always willing to listen and He is always willing to help. When we read about Rachel and Leah we can see that God cares about each of our needs and no one has a need too big or too small. If we look at each of these women we could compare their problems and I think most of us would say Leah's were bigger. After all she was the ugly older sister that no one loved. I wonder how the conversation with her father went when he told her his plan to trick Jacob. Did it go something like this "Leah, you know you have no prospects and I really don't see any other way to get you a husband". Did she protest? "but father, he doesn't want me, he wants Rachel". Or, did she think he was right and eagerly go along, hoping Jacob would love her too. How crushed she must have been when Jacob flat out rejected her when he realized he had been tricked. And despite the fact he did work 7 more years for Rachel, he didn't wait that long to get her. She became his wife just one week later. Talk about sibling rivalry. We read in scripture though that God saw Leah and because she was unloved He allowed her to have children. So at this point in the story we aren't feeling too sorry for Rachel. She was the pretty one after all and at least Jacob loved her. After several years of not being able to have children she started to have her own problems, and like we often do she took things into her own hands. She used her maid servant to give Jacob a child. Later we see that after years of watching the women around her be blessed with children, God finally gives her one too. See, God doesn't compare our problems. He doesn't have less concern for me because my problem isn't as big as someone else'. He wants to meet all of our needs and be there to catch us every time we fall and calm every storm that life throws our way. So, if you have been like me, comparing your problems to that of others I encourage you to do what I am going to try to do. Bring ALL my needs and problems to the One who cares and is just waiting to answer.