What better way to exercise that character than when it pertains to others? God has a purpose for each of us. We know that he ordains and equips us to accomplish our purpose. We also know that while He is not a respecter of persons, sometimes it can certainly feel like He is. We may pray for one thing and not get an answer. Someone else may pray for the exact same thing and receive an answer within days. Better yet, maybe you be were hoping for a big promotion and instead, your friend ended up with it instead. This is where jealousy can really become a problem.
It is human nature to feel a tinge of ill-will or envy when someone else is the recipient of the blessings we feel we deserve. As a result, we often feel rejected, punished or initially jealous. If left uncorrected, jealousy can multiply and evolve into discontentment. It is then that we must turn to the word of God. The word of God is alive and rightfully divides truth from falsehood thereby transforming our minds. Just because God may allow others to have more than you is not a reason to be jealous. Aside from leading to discontentment, jealousy often results in a loss of joy, peace of mind and hope. Where there is no joy, there is no strength.
Choosing to focus on what you may not have, indicates a lack of lack of faith and maturity. How much a person possesses or desires something, pales in comparison to how they use those possessions or desires. According to Aparigraha, it is the custom of Jainists to deny their personal desires. In other words, what you have is not nearly as important as how you use what you have. When our focus habitually spotlights what is missing in our lives we become discouraged. We begin to doubt God’s word and His promises. We go from trusting God to secretly despising Him because He’s not our Genie in a bottle. Consider what happened to Eve. Once she stopped appreciating all she did have and began to focus on the one thing she couldn’t have, disaster ensued. The same principle applies in this case.
When God blesses others, rejoice with them! Making a conscious decision to celebrate someone else in their time of joy will definitely keep your focus where it should be: on God. It will encourage gratitude, joy, humility and hope. If you want to kill the green-eyed monster in your life, begin by celebrating someone else’s good news.
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