Desire vs. Jealousy vs. Necessity
Hello again my BEAUTIFUL readers!
Feelings of desire, jealousy, and necessity are so common- they are borderline basic. We all want something, and get mad when someone else has it because we feel as though we need it. These feelings are natural, self-serving, helpful, and regular.
We all have something that we are dying to have and would do almost anything to get it. The thought is all consuming and everything that we do is to reach that goal or object, we are coveting. This can be either positive or negative. It just depends on the attributes we attach to them. So I ask: When does "drive" become "obsession?" Is it healthy to want something so much? And do we really need it?
Let’s get personal for a bit. I am obsessed with reaching my goal of having a Penthouse apartment in a specific building. I do research on it a couple times a week to see if the rent/price has gone up. I collect magazines and online photos for interior decoration, and I harass God about it every night when I pray before I go to sleep. I get absolutely livid when I see someone I know post pictures of their new home or apartment, whether it’s a penthouse or not- because they have something that I want. Here is the problem with my situation though: I always catch myself and calm down because I know they deserve what they are blessed with. I know the long hours, time, sweat, blood, and tears they went through to reach their goal. That’s not to say that I don’t work hard myself, but it’s not my time yet! When I finally catch a grip, I feel overwhelmed with happiness because I genuinely do love to see other people happy. And all my friends and family know that if you need boxes packed, unpacked, rooms cleaned, areas organized, and so on- I’m the one to call and I will help you with every fiber of my being.
Now back to the penthouse. It is normal to have the "desire" to have a roof over my head. Shelter is one the "necessities" humans need in order to survive. However, what’s not normal is being "jealous" of someone else who has what I want. As a firm believer in God, I know that what’s for me will be mines, and what’s for someone else will be theirs. If I don’t have it yet, it’s because God did not say so. He is preparing me to handle it, should it ever happen. And for a reality check on jealousy- You can’t covet what someone else has because you do not have the same means as them. Like, if I get the apartment- How exactly am I going to handle the bills that come with it? Do I have a penthouse type job yet? No. So it’s better to not bite off more than I can chew.
So before we all get into a tiff over what we want, what others have, and what is actually needed- let’s take a moment to categorize, organize, and work. Nothing is more satisfying than being blessed with something you know you worked for and towards. And to help you remember this, here is a simple prayer that I found online: It says, "God, Protect me from what I Want and show me what I NEED!"
As always: Stay BEAUTIFUL inside, outside, sideways, and always!