Blessing Your Desires: Slaying the Green Eyed Monster

I'm more than ready to reveal my many character pitfalls here as I blog.  I think I recently admitted to you that I am vain.  Here's another one:  I am shallow.

Just like anyone, I sometimes have feelings of envy when I see someone I perceive as more talented or more successful than I.  I actually do not begrudge them their gifts, but I sometimes covet what they have.  It has always been easy for me to be happy for them as people, but I used to find that I got really down on myself if I yearned for their bounty, whatever it was.

I've been getting a much better handle on a lovely and LOVING way to cope with this and I promise, it works.  When I find myself envying someone, or yearning for what they have, I BLESS what they have and I BLESS them for having it and move on.

I am not perfect at this practice, and I sometimes have to work at it, but it gets easier and easier.  It could be called, "Blessing What you THINK you Want."  This concept is out there in many forms and within many faiths and philosophies, btw.

This practice came to me through prayer.  Some time ago I started praying, intently, whenever I had envious feelings and the prayers evolved from,

"God, please forgive me for having these feelings 

and please remove them from my heart." 

-- TO -- 

"God, thank You for showing me the beauty of this person's life, 

thank You for loving them just as You love me, 

please bless their good fortune, talent and hard work 

and please bless them as they enjoy these things."

I believe that this practice has given me more than the peace I was originally seeking.  As a result of this growth, I don't expect God to give me what someone else has or even to give me something that might be perceived as equally wonderful to it.  As God forgives me, I can begin to forgive myself.  

With God's help, we really can slay that green eyed monster.  By realizing that the things we think we want may not be what we need or even what we truly desire.....

....DO I want that?  Or, do I want something else?  Am I desirous of what God wants for me????  Seems to me if we stick to wanting what God wants for us, everyone's happy.

Besos & blessings,
Ashley