Jealously and Comparing

Genesis 28-31
Rachel and Leah.... two sisters.... From the get go there was jealousy and competition between the two.  One one more beautiful than the other, One was older than the other.  One was able to bare more children.  They fought over their husband and his love.  What a mess!!!!!

How many times in our lives to we do the same with our sisters in Christ?  Do we compare our jobs or stay-at-home status... whether we send our kids to school or homeschool?  Do we compare the cars we drive, the houses we live in?  Do we compare our kids, our husbands?

There is no room in our lives for jealousy and comparison.  Proverbs 14:30 says "A tranquil heart is life to the body, but jealousy is rotteness to the bones."  Jealousy eats away at you... You will never be content or happy when you are envious of someone else.  When you compare yourself with another, it not only hurts you but the relationship with that person as well.

1 Timothy 6:6 says "But godliness with contentment is a great gain"

Sprained Ankle x 2 - Walking on Uneven Ground

This past week I sprained my right ankle for the second time within a month. So of course I know that there is a purpose and reason, I just didn't know what or why. This week I was studying the bible using Beth Moore's study on the the two books of Thessalonians. This week my homework had to do with mobilized ministry. Oh man did it speak to me. Because I have a ton of ministries... First my husband, children, and home; and then my ministries at church. So this is what God has taught me in the midst of two sprained ankles.

 Sprained Ankle x 2 - Walking on Uneven Ground There are disabilities that cripple our capacity to do the good works which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. These disabilities can include doubt, lack of faith, weariness, laziness, complacency, etc… These are ways that the enemy can thwart our effectiveness and kill our fruitfulness because he doesn't want our Father in heaven to be glorified. 

How am I not glorifying our Father in heaven?

•  I’m not being consistent in my quiet time 
• Allowing my pain to dictate my emotions and attitude towards others 
• Feeling inadequate as a mother, wife, and teacher 
• I have a bad attitude concerning the newly acquired medical expenses, which could have been used towards my mission trip, which leads to.. 
• Not relying on God for our finances.
  

 So what has God revealed to me this week?

• I need to quiet myself in Him for a while.
• What you have been called to do is beyond your natural abilities, skills or talents. 
• In loving Him with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength, everything else will fall into place piece by piece. 
•  Stay willing, flexible, and teachable and God will not let me miss out on what he put me on this earth to do. 
• Even if I don’t see the connection between where I've been and where I am going, God is at work. He knows my heart and will equip me. 
• I can’t always tell if what I am doing is working, but I can rest assured that God is doing His work in me, to glorify Him. 

 Lord let me experience your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in you. Reveal to me the way I should go, because I long for you. Psalm 143:8

 God, teach me to do your will, for You are my God, may your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10