I'm sure there was a time I had some envy but, perhaps even resentment but no more. I have what I need and more and have had for so many years, the lean days and years are almost forgotten. I have gone where I wanted to go, with few exceptions bought what I wanted to buy. For a good long time I am content with few regrets so I can say I envy no man. I am glad when friends, neighbors, and family do well. I no longer dwell on such things. I have arrived at the threshold of death and wonder if I will soon plunge over or meander around its edges, looking for an easier path down to the abyss.
That may be, in part, because those folks have made bad choices and others are paying for those bad choices.
I once heard a pastor talk about "covet". When asked how to know if you covet, he replied, "If you walk into someone's fancy house, admire what they have, and say to God, 'Why can't I have stuff like this?', you are coveting, but if you walk into that house, and say to God,' Thank you for giving these people such wonderful things.', you are NOT coveting."
Sorry, but I don't understand how you equate health problems (or any other) with the "sins of our forefathers." So something my grandfather did caused my cancer? Not buying. I also disagree that having faith and belief is a choice. For people like me, that couldn't be farther from the truth. I am a "truth seeker" and can't accept that for which I can see no tangible proof. Believe me, I have tried.
Fortunately, I have blind faith and follow what has been handed down to me tweaking it to my understanding and truth of the scriptures. This may not be acceptable to some but it has taken me a mile farther than what I would have been without that faith. Sins of our forefathers is a metaphor denotes our biblical parents Adam and Eve.
"Unfortunately?" Please explain. As for the sins of our fathers, I believe that can have many interpretations... none of which make sense to me. Sorry we are seeming to drag this discussion off-topic, but I honestly do ENVY people of faith.
Envy is natural and to a certain level, good even. Envy is that which pushes us to attain higher levels. "Gosh, I wish I had a nice car like that!" can push us to work harder to get what we want. Don't confuse envy for jealousy. Jealousy eats your soul; envy makes you aspire to something greater.
This can be very, very true. I envied people who worked in Purchasing and Inventory Control. They made much better salary than I did and didn't do the physical work I did in warehousing/shipping/receiving. When I finally got my break to be a Junior Buyer, having my own office-computer-files-phone, I jumped on it. Before getting the job, which did include Inventory Control Management, I was motivated enough to take some online Purchasing and Inventory classes. No problem passing all of them.
Envy, to me at least, implies that I resent someone else having something that I would like to have, and I don't feel that except, perhaps, when it is clear that they didn't come by it honestly. I frequently come across people who have jobs, possessions, or qualities that I'd like to have, but it's not like I'd want to take it from them, or that I am angry with them for having what I do not have.
After giving it some thought, there is someone I envy. @Cody Fousnaugh and his wife for their happy marriage. All the wealth and possessions on earth are like dust unless you have someone to share it with. Cody, I don't begrudge y'all's happiness, just envy it a little bit.
Your life, at least to some extent is based upon the decisions that you make and the priorities upon which those decisions are based.
Right. The other factor is the conscious length of your timeline in the moment you're making such decisions.
Thank you so much, Shirley. We just celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary the 10th of this month. We have so much video and pictures of everything we done, including a great trip to Yellowstone National Park and Mt. Rushmore. After going thru our previous two marriages we've each had, this one is definitely "#1" for happiness!
Naw! Envying the Joneses would make me a liberal. I prefer to stay independent and appreciate what little I have and be proud I earned every bit of it.
Well that right there is is some strange logic,or more probably none at all, but Bless yere soul anyways!