“But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”
Last week we discussed how anxiety and gratitude cannot exist together in the brain. This makes gratitude the silver bullet in our battle against anxiety. So, let’s examine what inhibits gratitude … This verse says the culprit is self-centered envy which throws our life into confusion.
The internet is the perfect breeding ground for this problem. Most people publish the perfect online image with little concern for accuracy. But somehow, we miss the obvious fact that everyone else is doing the same thing. Everyone is publishing fictional “profiles” with heavily edited photos to back up the facade. This spurs our “Friends” to exaggerate even more until we all deceive ourselves into “virtual nirvana” where everyone is envious of everyone else’s fabricated lives… No wonder there is anxiety.
What you don’t see is that all your “perfect friends” have struggles. Even as they post pictures of their incredible adventures, many are dealing with rollercoaster relationships, health struggles, and financial problems. So, as we privately struggle with our real-life problems, and look online and see our friends sailing through life untouched, it causes us to crash. Here’s the thing… it’s not true.
When we compare our reality with someone else’s made up life, it confuses us. This opens the door to anger, self-pity, envy, jealousy, and resentment. The instigating circumstances are fake – but the resulting emotions are real. And these emotions destroy our lives.
Do you have bitterness and envy?... Did you allow it into your life by believing you’re the only imperfect person in your circle? Have you exhausted yourself trying to keep up the façade?
Just stop and take a breath … Don’t compare your life to others, you’re not seeing the whole picture. Though it may feel like it, you’re not alone… We are all broken people. Share your struggles with a friend, and then together, count your blessings. We all have difficulties at times; you are not the only one. Trust the Father’s love and know you never face the struggle alone.
“Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own.” - Harold Coffin
No comments:
Post a Comment