Have you ever wanted something so badly, but for whatever reason, you couldn’t have it? Of course you have. We all have! That new car. The long awaited promotion. A boyfriend or girlfriend. Or better yet, a ring.

A bigger house. A family. The perfect family. Less work. More vacation time. A housecleaner. We all need a housecleaner.

More clothes. A bigger closest. A better body. A smaller dress size. And I know my husband would say he’d like more toys in the garage. A bigger garage. Louder engines with twice the horsepower.

For all of us, more money would be nice. Really nice.

We all need more.         

But will we ever have enough? Can anybody ever really have enough?

To which you reply, “If I could just have ________, then I would be happy.”

So you begin to become envious of your neighbors who have what you don’t. You become bitter, “What did they do to deserve that? Why them and not me?” 

And your heart becomes hard. You pick fights and mutter negative comments under your breath. You get angry. Resentful.

Then there comes a point when you wonder how you got there. You ask yourself, “When did I become such a negative person? Why didn’t my life turn out the way I had hoped? Why do I always seem to get the short end of the stick?”

James 4:1-2 says, What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

I love that last sentence. You do not have, because you do not ask. How could it be so simple? Is it really that easy? 

Yes. It is that easy.  Here are three straightforward steps to overcoming jealousy and getting everything you need.

Step 1. Put the desires of your heart at the feet of Jesus.

In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  Philippians 4:6 (NIV).

Pray. Pray. Pray. Ask him for help.

Step 2. Do what you can to make it happen. Scripture says, Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Mark 11:23 (NIV).

In other words, if you want that job, then apply. Network. Join a professional association.

If you want to meet that special someone, you have to put yourself out there. Go on dates. Sign up for christianmingle.com. Step outside your comfort zone.

If your marriage needs work, you have to put in the work. Go to counseling. Establish traditions. Eat dinner together. Pray together. Be together.

If you want to achieve that goal, take the first step to get there. Don’t give up. Keep walking until you reach the finish line.

The dreams that God has put on your heart won’t happen unless you make the effort. Do what you can to move that mountain.

Step 3. Give the glory to God.  

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 (NIV).

When the things that you desire begin with God, they should end with God.

So what’s the risk when you’re not acting in alignment with God’s plan for your life?  When you’re fulfilling your wants and needs and not his? It’s simple.

For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. James 3:16 (King James)

Anyone else out there struggling with jealousy? We all are! Leave a comment and let us know how we can pray for you. 

About Michelle: With the heart of a servant-leader, Michelle Wulfestieg has worked in the field of hospice for over ten years, where she assists terminally ill patients daily. As a two-time stroke survivor who was featured in our “I’m a Believer” campaign, she understands just how precious life is and believes that as long as you are here, you have a purpose. Look for her book, ALL WE HAVE IS TODAY: A Story of Discovering Purpose, coming out this summer!

You can learn more about Michelle by visiting the links below.

Website http://www.allwehaveistoday.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AllWeHaveIsToday

Twitter https://twitter.com/AllWeHaveIs2Day