Have you ever wondered why someone has a better life than you — a better house, a better car, a more attentive spouse, a better income?
Jealousy makes people dissatisfied with what they have or even who they are.
But you do realize, don’t you, that you are a child of God? God created you in love so he can enjoy you and you can enjoy him.
Focusing on the Lord is a blessing. It is a blessing to accept his guidance and direction.
It is a blessing to realize that, if you feel dissatisfied, it may be God calling you to a new level of understanding along the path of faith on which you are traveling, so you can enjoy each other more deeply.
Don't interpret restlessness — which often follows God’s call to a new level in your relationship — as dissatisfaction with possessions or persons.
A new car, a new gadget, a new job, a new relationship — more this-that-or-the-other — will only be a temporary fix, and a waste of time and money.
Being attentive to how God is challenging you to grow and draw closer to him will end your restlessness. Then peace will settle in your heart.
Jesus said, “You are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Perfection is often understood to be without fault, without blemish. Humans cannot be without fault or blemish; however, we can make sure our words, actions, thoughts and deeds align with God's will.
When you focus on the Lord, you will understand and accept these truths:
•God created you in love
•God has a purpose for your life
•The restlessness you feel deep within is God calling you to a new level of life and faith in him
•Satisfaction comes not in striving to satisfy jealous cravings, but in striving to live a fully integrated life of faith
•Satisfaction comes from realizing how blessed you are in what you already have because of Jesus Christ
The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BROADHEAD: Restlessness follows Jesus' call for perfection