One of my cousins had a baby boy just a few months after I had my daughter. Despite my daughter being older, my cousin’s first baby began sleeping through the night long before my daughter even got close to this milestone. This, I have to admit, left me green with envy.

But even I didn’t realize how envious I was until my cousin had her second baby a couple of years later. Then, as I asked someone whether the new baby was sleeping well, I realized I wanted the answer to be no! It just wouldn’t be fair if my cousin got two sound sleepers! She should have to experience what I experienced!

As soon as I realized what I was feeling, I felt terrible. I like my cousin. Why was I wishing her a hard time? Why didn’t I want her to be blessed?

Because, I’m sad to say, I was still full of envy, and that envy was making me forget about my own blessings. Once I realized my sin, I asked for forgiveness and then I began to think about how God has blessed me. As I did, I began to understand that it is really none of my business how God chooses to bless my cousin, or anyone else. I also realized that if I were truly thankful for all the blessings He has given me, then I would be pleased to see Him at work in others’ lives. In fact, I would be pleased to be a blessing in others’ lives.

Choosing God’s way would not only make me a better representative of Christ but it would also make me much happier. I would, after all, get to trade a heart full of envy for a heart full of love. Add one more entry to my blessing list!

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8