Jealousy

I have a confession to make.

I struggle with jealousy.

Yep, the green-eyed monster has my number.

I hate admitting it, but the first step in fixing a problem is recognizing that you have one, right? Well, I recognize it, and I’m telling y’all. (Now I have accountability. 😊)

I’ve had issues with this demon before, but I’ve never dealt with it as fiercely as I have as a writer. Let my neighbor buy a new car, or brag on their kid’s accomplishments and I’ll celebrate along with them. Or when a friend loses weight and drops a couple sizes, I will brag on them till the cows come home. But when I read about another author’s accolades, more often than not, I am immediately and thoroughly chartreuse. It doesn’t creep up on me. No, it punches me square in the gut.

Now, I understand that I am nowhere near alone in this. Talk to any writer and they’ll tell you the same.

But I’m having a hard time fighting the good fight, and I’m tired of it. Last week I posted a photo that said, “Jealousy is counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.” It’s the truth. Only by thanking God for what He’s done in my life (and with my writing) can I put things in proper perspective. It’s all a gift from Him anyways.

I’m going to start fighting back. I’m going to thank God for the blessings He’s showered on me. With persistence, practice, the presumption of God’s grace, and the power of the Holy Spirit, this monster can be defeated. Are y’all with me? Let’s go fight the good fight and fling the green-eyed monster off our backs.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:7-8