In Ecclesiastes 6:9 I read, “It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.” (GNT)
Instead of being regretful, I need to be grateful. Instead of complaining, I need to remember that everything is a gift from God.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 4:7-8, “Isn’t everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need” (The Message).
Envy always asks, “Why them? Why does he have better health? Why does that person have a job and spouse, and I have neither?”
Gratitude says, “Why me? Why do I get to drink clean water when so much of the world doesn’t? Why am I not under persecution? Why am I not thrown into prison for my faith?”
Envy is based on the myth that I must have more in order to be happier. But it’s just not true. Happiness is a choice. If I’m not happy now, I’m not going to be happy with more. I’m as happy as I choose to be.
Ecclesiastes 6:9 says, “It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else” (GNT). This is called contentment—and I need to learn it.
Why? Because by nature no one is content! It is not natural to be content. But it is mature to be content. Babies are discontented. Unless everything is going their way, they’re not satisfied. Maturity is learning to be content when things are not going my way. It’s better to be satisfied with what I have than to always want something more.
Let me clarify. Envy is not desire; desire is good. Envy is not ambition; ambition is good. I ought to be ambitious and work for good things in your life. Envy is not a dream; I ought to have a dream in my life. Envy is not setting goals; dreams, ambitions, goals, and desires are all things that God puts in me.
Envy is resenting other people who have something already and believing the lie that I can’t be happy until I get it too. Instead, learn to be grateful for who I am and what I have. It’s all a gift from God!
In summary, Instead of being regretful, I need to be grateful. Instead of complaining, I need to remember that everything is a gift from God. Isn’t everything I have and everything I am are gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? I already have all I need. Envy asks, Why them? Gratitude says, Why me? Why do I get... Envy is based on the myth that I must have more in order to be happier. Happiness is a choice. I’m as happy as I choose to be. It is better to be satisfied with what I have than to be always wanting something else. This is called contentment. By nature no one is content! It is not natural. But it is mature. Maturity is learning to be content when things are not going my way. It’s better to be satisfied with what I have than to always want something more. Envy is not desire. Envy is not ambition. Envy is not a dream. Envy is not setting goals. Dreams, ambitions, goals, and desires are all things that God puts in me. Envy is resenting other people who have something already and believing the lie that I can’t be happy until I get it too. Instead, learn to be grateful for who I am and what I have. It’s all a gift from God!
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