Everything is Relative to Context
Here is a principle I have learned in years of ministry and life experience.
Everything is relative to the context in which you live.
What I mean is that one person’s experience is unique to them and cannot be understood fully apart from living in that exact set of circumstances and surroundings. You can’t compare your circumstances to another that easily.
That means that to that person, though the situation may not seem as severe or as important to you:
- Pain is pain
- Heartache is heartache
- Stress is stress
- Leadership is leadership
- Trials are trials
- Pressure is pressure
- Fun is fun
- Disappointment is disappointment
- Fear is fear
That also means that:
A 13-year-old boy trying to balance school, baseball and girlfriends can feel just as overwhelmed as a 42-year-old CEO trying to manage a company and build a family.
And a pastor in a church of 50 people can feel just as much stress as a pastor in a church of 20,000.
That’s a good reminder next time you are tempted to compare your struggles with another.
Every person’s situation is relative to the context in which they live and the experiences they have in life.
Have you been guilty of comparing your situation to another person’s situation?
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