Love Dare Day Eight

LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS.

In this chapter of The Love Dare, we discuss issues of jealousy.

Firstly the author talks about good jealousy, the kind which is legitimate, which protects and is based on relationship, commitment and loyalty. He explains that even God is jealous - in the right way.

Then we turn to the other type, which is rooted in selfishness. The kind that loses its peace when someone else has something better than what we have. This may be success, promotion, sport result, a better life, even the fact that they appear blessed where we feel we are missing out.

So here we are looking at feelings of being left out, pushed aside, not good enough, and other emotions. After all, jealousy comes from insecurity, a sense of lack.

In The Love Dare we are challenged to be proactive in dealing with this human tendency. Rejoice when my partner has a win. Rejoice that she is better than I am at certain things. To not allow insecurity the room inside my heart to cause me to resent anything about her.

Ultimately, I guess jealousy is a byproduct of resentment towards another person, and is usually irrational. Here again is a good time to think on the comments I made yesterday and the day before. To guard our hearts, and fight any urge to be irritable towards the ones we love.

I have certainly been irritable as I confessed. I have plenty of faults, but I don't think I struggle much with jealousy. Of course, others who look in objectively may disagree. I don't think they will.

However, this is a great time to focus on building up my wife. In The Love Dare, Day 7, there is the talk of rooms of Appreciation & Depreciation. The challenge given was to write to separate pages, of the thoughts I have about Liz, one page for the negatives an one for the positives.

Then on Day 8, we are asked to read the 2 pages again, then to burn the Depreciation page. So I symbolically burned the thoughts and memories that were negative.

Since the first time through, I have of course slipped too often into the Depreciation Room. But then I have remembered and repented of being there. I want to only think on the good things.

Paul wrote:
Finally brethren, if there is anything that is true, anything that is noble, righteous or pure; if anything is lovely or of good report; if there is any virtue, anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.
(Phil 5:9)

A great challenge! To not allow myself the luxury of negative thoughts (which sap the life out of me), but to focus only on good things. Wouldn't we all be happier people? And nicer to be around!!!

Let me be like that.

The Dare for today is to destroy the Depreciation Room, and to find something to praise in my wife. I did that last night!!! Now I will have to find something else to praise her for. Isnt it good that she has plenty of good in her?!!