I Corinthians 7:17
Here is a confession—I compare my life to the lives lived by others and, more often than not, wonder why I couldn’t have their life. Of course, all the lives I envy "appear" to have more than me, not less. Walking down the streets of a mega rich community recently, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about money. I could do ‘wealthy’ quite nicely!” Of course, none of this is based in reality because what I see is the outside stuff not the soul of their lives. That remains hidden.
An ongoing conversation with my husband revolves around “signature sins”; those sins that hound us throughout our lives. They are the ones we never quite give over completely to our Father. One of my “signature sins” is my envy of how “the other half lives.” I’m not sure who makes up “the other half” but this I do know, my sin is ugly..
What strikes me about Paul’s encouragement to the Corinthians is the message of freedom. When I am distracted by a life “over there” the life I’ve been given wanders off trail and before I know it, I’m struggling to bush whack my way back.
Freedom comes in embracing the life God has assigned me, because only then can I completely trust that, no matter what happens, God will see me through. When I’m craning my neck to see the other half, I lose sight of Who is leading my way.
Jesus, forgive me for my envy of the lives
You have given others.
Help me to embrace my assigned life
With all my heart, soul and mind.
Amen.
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