Day 9: Green Monster

   

In life, there may be moments where we begin to compare ourselves to our friends and aquaintences. Sometimes comparison can turn into something stronger and you can begin to feel bitterness in your heart towards the fact that your friend has something you don't. This bitterness turns into jealously. Proverbs 14:30 tells us,"A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh but envy makes the bones rot". 
       In our brokenness, we may find something like jealousy easy to stir in our hearts. However, as a new creation in Christ we are told, "let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkeness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealously, Rather, clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh." (Romans 13:13-14) When we find ourselves intensely longing after something someone we know may have to the point that our hearts become constantly discontent and we find ourselves dwelling alot about "how so and so has that, but I don't, and so and so doesn't deserve that" we are giving into our flesh. The more we say this to ourselves instead of giving thanks for the things we have the more we allow the jealously to eat away at us and harden our hearts. 
     I have learned in the past that the best way to overcome jealousy is to give thanks for what I have. I also have found that by asking God to work in my heart to help me be happy for others helps me stray away from being jealous as well. See, jealousy and contentment kind of go hand in hand. When we are feeling constantly discontent, it is easier for us to start looking at what others have that we don't but when we begin to give thanks for what we have, we are able to see the value in the things we have and we can be begin to be genuinely happy for those around us who may recieve things that we wish we did. 
   
So if you want to fight that green monster from creeping up in your heart and mind, here's what I would suggest:
1.) Pray honestly-it's important for us to be honest with God about the things we have going on in our hearts. 
2.) Soak up scriptures-pick a scripture verse that helps you when you are feeling discontent or jealous. I like to pick various ones that talk about what Christ did for me that made me new or to remind me of how I should live in light of what he did (ex: Romans 6:6-7) or Colossians 3:15-17, Spend sometime meditating on it daily.
3.) Count your blessings-Writing out what you're thankful for can really help you clear your perspective and see that there's a lot of things that you do have, that you may have taken for granted