Jealousy

These are the quotes from the book I was talking about in my previous blog. These SO apply to my life right now and is such a God-thing that I was reading this at the exact same time I was going through this. (I'm Katie if you couldn't tell)

Jealousy

"Katie, do you want to talk some more about what you were saying before that guy came and interrupted us?”
“I don’t know. Sometimes I make too big of a thing out of nothing. We can drop it. It doesn’t matter.”
“I think it matters because it’s been bothering you, and if you stuff it away, it might come back and bother you again before the trip is over. I’d like to talk it through now, if we could.”
“It’s dumb. I know it is. I get my eyes off the Lord and my perspective goes crazy. I told you guys I was jealous, and I am. But I know that’s wrong. I know God says we’re not supposed to envy what someone else has. The thing is, I don’t know what to do with my feelings. I try to ignore them, but then they overwhelm me.”
“Pray,” Todd suggested immediately.
Katie sighed and looked down at her half-empty cup of coffee. “Yeah, pray. That’s what I should do. I don’t know why I don’t. I get tired of confessing the same thing over and over. But whenever I do talk it through with God, I always feel better.”
“And he always forgives us no matter how many times we come to Him,” Todd said. “I think it helps to find out what triggers those weak areas, and recognize the warning signs before you get blindsided.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, what triggers the jealousy?”
Katie paused a moment before saying, “I see somebody with something I wish I had, and I start to compare myself. Then I get jealous.”
“We all do that,” Christy said.
“That doesn’t make it right,” Katie said.
“I know,” Christy agreed.
“One thing that helps me is when I see the cycle beginning I can almost stop the sin in midair before it hits me,” Todd said. “Like the comparing part. I memorized a couple of verses that relate. Whenever I start to compare myself with somebody else, I repeat those verses and get my heart back on track with God.”
“Then you better teach me those verses, quick!” Katie said, “Because I have a horrible problem of comparing myself with other people.”
“One is real short. It’s in Isaiah 45:9. It just says, ‘Does the clay say to the potter, “What are you making?” ‘ The other verses are in the same book, Isaiah, in chapter 64, verses 6 and 8. The first time I read this it put me in my place, if you know what I mean.”
“Yes I think I probably know what you mean,” Katie said. “What are the verses?”
“‘All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.’ “
“Let me see if I caught the same meaning here that you did,” Katie said. “When you start to compare yourself with someone else, you think of those verses and how all of us are basically the same before God. Like the clay.”
Christy jumped in and said, “And God is the artist. The craftsman. He’s making something out of us, the clay. We’re not supposed to say to Him, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ or ‘Why can’t you make me like her?’ “
Todd nodded. “Exactly. Each person’s life is a different work of art. God’s design for me is different than what He has planned for you.”
“Does that really work for you?” Katie asked.
He nodded again. “I find it hard to be jealous when I realize God is the one in control, not me. If He chooses to bless someone more than me, who am I to tell Him what He’s doing isn’t fair? Do I ever say it’s not fair when someone is going through a tough time? Do I tell God it’s not fair because He hasn’t given me as many difficulties as the other person?”
“You better write those verses down for me, Todd. This is a huge area in my life. I think I have it figured out, and then it comes back stronger.”
Until Tomorrow -Pg 153-155
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“Once again,” Katie said, “I, your ever faithful friend, stand by and watch guys drool over you while I mysteriously become invisible.”
“Like you were really interested in that guy, Katie,” Christy tried to take a sip of her tea, but it was too hot.
“I would have gone to the dance club with him,” Katie said.
“Yeah right,” Christy said.
“I think guys like that are intrigued by you because you get all shy around them. And it’s not an act. I know that. You start blushing, pull back, and look away. It’s all very natural for you. I think they see it as a challenge and try to get you to open up. I, on the other hand, am an open book. And obviously not a bestseller.”
“Katie, you’re perfect just the way you are. One day a guy will come into your life who will be so stunned that you are you. He’ll also be glad you didn’t go to dance clubs with guys in leather jackets named after cold green rocks.”
Katie smiled. “You better keep reminding me of that, Chris. The longer I wait for my handsome prince, the better those green rock-heads look to me.”
Until Tomorrow –Pg 186-187