The Problem I am Resolving...

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. 

Proverbs 10:12

I wish that I could say that I cover all offenses with love, but I'm afraid that I don't all the time. I'm not sure about you, but I have noticed that I have a bit of a.... hmm, how should I word this.... competitive problem? I guess I tend to feel threatened by others, or feel less then antiquate at times -Which is really jealousy but I like to try and tell my self that the person is really just bragging and a 'brat' and if people really knew them then they wouldn't like them so much. ok... that probably didn't make any sense... Let me tell you of an exemple of what I mean;

I have a few friends (their really more of acquaintances) that are super nice to some people and aren't to others. Kind of like they pick and choose their friends and they act nice to people of authority but are only friends which their peers that they feel are 'cool' or 'popular'. And what I have found is that they tend to brag about things, which tends to really bug me. Of course theirs nothing wrong with not appreciating the quality in people who like to 'toot their own horn', but what I discovered in myself recently was that I was carrying resentment in my heart toward them -which is wrong. And I guess to 'cover up' my resentment I was telling myself that if people really knew what they were like, then they wouldn't like that person -which was a sign of my jealousy because I wanted to be popular like those people. I tried to tell myself that I was so much better then that person because I didn't act like that person... ::sheepish grin:: In truth, I was acting just like that person but just in different ways. 

And if you haven't figured it out, I was one of the people that wasn't chosen to be friends with these other girls, which has often led me to feel less than attequite - when really I shouldn't be basing that on whether I am pleasing to the eyes of others but that I am pleasing to our Lord and Savior.

So why am I telling you this? I guess I just want to encourage you that if you too struggle with something like this then you are not the only one. I know it comforts me to know that others make the same mistakes that I foolishly make. (Not that it's good that others make mistakes)

Some of these verses have really convicted me in this area:

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.

James 3:14

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 

James 3:16

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. 

Ecclesiastes  4:4

But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 

Galations 6:4

I encourage you to do as I and diminish any jealousy/resentment issues (if you have any of course). It's something I am currently working on myself, because I don't like what resentment is doing to me as a person. And if those people that I spoke about are truly wronging people then they will have to own up to their actions, but I need to own up to mine and not judge the people around me.

Stay strong in the Lord sisters in Christ!

~Miss.Adriana

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. 

Psalms 15:4-5