“Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt

The comparison trap, the idea that people are better than you, have more than you, are happier than you, more successful… and so on.

When God talks to me He often has to repeat Himself in order for me to get it. This year He has repeated a few things to me. This past month has been about the trap of comparison.

In a society that is so motivated by social media, it can be easy to fall into this trap. As a missionary people are often looking to hear about your numbers. They measure your success by how many you’ve led to the Lord, how many people are in your church and so on.

For many of the countries surrounding us, numbers seem to be much higher. Thailand has had missionaries for over 300 years and yet less than 1% of the population is Christian. It can take a long time to build relationships with the Thai people; sometimes it can be discouraging.

With that said, God was challenging me. Why was I trying to run the race in someone else’s lane? Hebrews 12:1,2 says, “run the race marked out before you…” When I keep my eyes on Jesus and what He’s called us to, I can cheer on others around us, but not feel the need to run their race - to compete with them.

The comparison trap will steal our joy. It will cause us to run after things that God never intended for us. We have a successful church. It’s growing. New people are coming every week. People feel connected. We might not have 1000s, but we are being faithful with what God has placed before us.

I’m not sure of what God has called you to do. Don’t fall into the comparison trap. No one will parent like you, have your family or run your race. That’s for you to do. Walk in joy in the race God has marked out before you.

Our month at a glance…

Pastor Dan and Joel came to visit us. It’s always a privilege to have guests come to see us. It’s especially exciting when it’s your home church pastor! We showed Pastor Dan and Joel around northern Thailand. They crossed the border into Burma, saw the Golden Triangle (3 countries, Thailand, Burma and Laos meet), went to the cave where the boys were trapped and visited with our team. It was a joy to have them with us and for them to experience church. Who’s next?

Pastor Dan, Joel and Kris at the Golden Triangle

This month I was asked to lead worship at a women’s retreat. I have to admit I wanted to back out. I wasn’t sure they would appreciate my style. There are ladies from many different church backgrounds, so I wasn’t sure how free I would feel. After God spoke to me about comparison, He reminded me that I was more than capable. I just had to follow His lead. It turned out to be a powerful time.

Leading worship at the Chiang Rai Women’s Retreat

The past month our house has been packed out. Each week new people are attending. We have a few unbelievers that have been consistently coming. They feel very welcome and enjoy sticking around socializing afterwards. Please pray for them and us, as they navigate this journey.

If you have anything we can pray for, let us know. We love you.

Kris, Tab and Ephraim

We are thankful to all of you who support us financially or through prayer. We are looking for people who’d like to help us with our flights home. If you have ever thought about partnering with us, now is the time. You can message me at tabithapagan@gmail.com or go to our website www.victorymaesai.com to give.

March 2020 - The Comparison Trap

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