As I shared in the last devotional, competition is very much part of our culture and the way we live life. However, there are dangers to doing life with a competitive mindset.
This is the continuation of the potential problems with competition:
3. Competition demands to win
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. James 3:16
Competition has the insatiable desire to win, and when winning is the goal, we become self-focused. As a result, it would be difficult to be happy for others in their success or to encourage them to get better at what they do when we are in competition with them. The scripture tells us that self-seeking opens the door to every form of evil. We cannot embrace our carnal nature and feed it with competition and, at the same time, feed our spirit man by being willing to deny ourselves.
Competition does not allow us to see and appreciate the work that God is doing in others’ lives because we are so focused on our welfare. Would you be able to encourage others who seem threatening to you? Would the desire to win and compete inhibit you from speaking words of life to someone?
4. Competition does not allow us to esteem others better than ourselves
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Philippians 2:3
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Philippians 2:2-3 (MSG)
Competition compels a person to strive and connive to look better than others. It makes the person desire to outshine others and look perfect and mature! Competition can operate in marriages, at work, in ministry, in lifestyle, and how one spends his/her money. Someone who is competitive has no joy in seeing others grow and become better than them. Competition does not produce love, peace, and affection but envy, sadness, and insecurity.
5. Using spiritual terms to excuse/hide competitiveness
The authority figures of the outsiders play this game, flexing their muscles in competition for power over one another, masking their quest for domination behind words like “benefactor” or “public servant.” Luke 22:25 (Voice)
People use variety of spiritual excuses to be driven and competitive. They can use excuses such as: God has called them to fight; they are called to win; They want to be make a lot of money so they can fund the Kingdom; He has given them strength to do all things through Christ; they are called to be the head and not the tail, and the list goes on. All of those are true in the proper context, but if it feeds our selfish ambitions and our competitiveness, we are feeding our carnality!
The word of God is rich with many truths, but what makes it powerful is not taking one scripture out of context to meet our needs but in spending time to allow the word of God to change us. If our passions, desires, and competitiveness have not changed after following Christ (except this time we give all the glory to God), we may be deceived!
The transforming resurrection power comes to make us a new person and give us God’s desires. The Holy Spirit comes to empower us to say “no” to our old nature and to deny ourselves, so the life of Christ can grow in us. God changes our hearts, motives, and activities. If competition is the main way we feel alive, well, and whole, then there is a deeper spiritual work required.
Competition is so ingrained in our lives, that it takes time to identify it and allow God to uproot it from our lives.I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.
