Let's not compare ourselves to others


Let us not be influenced by the things we feel. They are not as scary as we feel. Let us not be frightened, let us not panic, let us not compare ourselves with others, and give rise to even worse states. In the old days, people did not compete as they do today. There was no reason for competition. There was no inferiority complex. Today, man immediately feels inferior: “They were chosen, I was not chosen; they succeeded, I failed!” As far as I remember, this did not exist or, if it did exist, it manifested itself to a very small extent.

Today, it does not happen like that, precisely because man sees his problems in relation to others. What will others say? How will others react? How will he resist? How will he compare himself to them? And life becomes martyrdom, precisely because we live in an age in which this spirit influences us all. So why not try to remain uninfluenced?

Do you know how peaceful we are, those who are not influenced, those who do not compare ourselves with others and do not compete with anyone? This spirit exists in clerics and monks. Those who want to get rid of it make this decision and get rid of the worm that eats away at them.

Why would someone not take life this way? Man takes life this way when he is not lost in the reality of earthly life, but sees earthly life as something included in eternity. We exist for a little while in this world in order to gain eternity. When we do not succeed and when things do not work out as we expect, it is not a failure. But we feel it that way.

I have met many people who have succeeded in life, but are sad for other reasons, which others do not know. Some tell me with all the strength of their souls: “Ah, father, no one struggles like me!” They are surprised when I tell them, “I hear everyone say that!” All people, without exception, believe that no one struggles more than they do. Everyone. This is because God has ordained that everyone experiences their own. But do not think that others do not have problems. They have identical problems, sometimes even worse, as God has ordained for each one.

Archimandrite Simeon Kraiopoulos

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