²⁵ The desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
²⁶ He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous gives and does not spare.

Proverbs 21:25-26 [NKJV]

Hey to my fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ. It’s been a few day since my last proper daily bread journal entry, so I want to continue with today’s daily bread reflections. Today’s message definitely feels so appropriate and timely. It is an issue that I struggled with for most of my life. It is also something that causes and constantly drives my chronic anxiety disorder as I was growing up, well into my adult life. I used to think that I’m the only one who struggles with this issue of covetousness. But as it turns out, I later learned that I am in fact not the only one who struggles with it. There are so many people who also shared a similar struggle in their lives as well.

But wait, what does covetousness, or coveting for something really mean in real life (being just finding out it’s definition on wikipedia)? Speaking from my own vast experience in this area, I can say that when someone covets for something, it’s like wishing for something, experiencing envy for something; and yet, that person just doesn’t have the willingness to put in the same effort and hard work to get what they are wishing for.

But wait a minute, covetousness doesn’t just cover the tangible, material things in life that we see others having. Coveting can sometimes also cover the less tangible. Like when we see others experiencing love, or when they are able to find a job and we are struggling with constant rejections. Coveting can happen even in our own personal and private lives. One area I have constantly struggled with, even till today, is when I read stories or see online posts about people who would thank their parents for being supportive of their choices and pursuing a particular career choice. It is something I’ve never had, and I don’t know if I will ever get to experience what they have. And yes, for a very long time, I have coveted that in my life. I wanted that kind of relationship with my own mother, but for the longest time, it’s just something I haven’t been able to get.

Learn to Accept That Our Struggles are Different, So Are Our Journeys in Life.

This is where I would like to begin my daily bread reflections today. The very first step in learning to address our own covetousness, and that kind of envy we experience when we see others having what we can’t have, is to first remind ourselves that just because they have what we don’t have today, it doesn’t make their lives any better than ourselves. And it also doesn’t mean that our lives is any worser than theirs too.

For all we know, they could be looking at us and they would be envious about something in our lives as well. I know sometimes, that can be difficult to imagine. You might be looking at your life and all the current struggles that you are experiencing and you are wondering, “What could they possibly envy about my life right now?” But it doesn’t make it any less true. As bad as your life might seem to you today, it might not be as bad as you might make it to be.

When it comes to other things like career progression, or looking at other people’s success in life, it’s so important to remember that most of the time, by the time we hear/read about their success stories, they have already been through years and years of struggles in order to get to where they are today. That is the part that people usually never see, and will never know about. So there’s really no need to envy other people’s breakthroughs and successes. If you want to experience your own successes and breakthroughs, you must first be willing to take that first step. You must also be willing to pay the price, and persevere for long enough to reach your own breakthroughs and successes in life. If you are willing to pay that price, you can achieve the same, maybe even better too. You never know.

Focusing on Your Own Journey and Growth.

Finally, one of the most important lessons that I’ve had to learn when it comes to managing and dealing with my own covetousness, is by constantly reminding myself that I don’t have to compare myself to other people. I know from my own experiences that I can always experience my own successes and breakthroughs. All I have to be willing to do is to make that personal sacrifices, or take those risks, or taking that leap of faith. After persevering for nearly 9 years and finally experiencing that first genuine major breakthrough of my own career, I know that if others can achieve their breakthroughs and successes, so can I. Everybody’s journey and growth will happen at a different pace. So there’s really no point in trying to compare yourself with other’s journeys. They could take 5 years, or 10 years to reach their current successes and breakthroughs. But if you learn to focus on yourself, maybe you will take longer, or shorter amount of time to achieve your own breakthroughs too.

It is after I truly started to focus on my own growth and my own journey and experiences that I really began to experience the various breakthroughs that I had experienced in the last decade of my life. And yes, my breakthroughs and successes are so different from the kinds of breakthroughs and successes I have seen others experiencing. But hey, they affect each of us differently too. What might not seem like a major breakthrough to others could actually mean everything to you too. So that is something I hope that you will keep in mind as you are looking at other people’s breakthroughs and successes today.

Personal Prayer for Today

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for blessing me with this precious time on this rainy Saturday morning to spend my time with Your word. Thank You for reminding me of this very important lesson and life lesson that I’ve learned through dealing with my own covetousness. Thank You for also bringing me through the last decade of my life. Thank You for allowing me to experience my own breakthroughs and successes. While they are quite different from other people’s breakthroughs and successes, they still mean the world to me.

Thank You Father God for reminding me today that I don’t have to be envious of what others get to have in their lives. I know that no matter how I try to compare my life to others, there will always be something in my life that they would also wish for too. I know that my life, my circumstances might not always be that bad. There are plenty of good in my life as well. I believe that is the point of the lesson. To always count my blessings every single day.

So today, as I come before You once again, I am praying and asking that You help me to focus on my own growth and my own journey. Help me to be constantly reminded everyday about all that is still good in my life. Because then I know that I still have much to be grateful for.

I vow to give You all of my praise. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen.