Social media has brought out the 12-year-old in all of us

If I am going to be totally honest, which I am:

I fall short a lot, I doubt myself frequently, I have ideas that don't work out, and I eat more and exercise less than I should.

So please, please. Do not ever misinterpret my writings as if they are showing a perfect life.

You would be sadly misled.

At the same time, I do want to portray one thing that is very true.

My life, when I am walking in the Spirit the way God wants me to, is filled with life and peace.

See...the problem that a lot of us have is we see what everyone else is portraying their life to be.
In their social media world it looks like big, beautiful, clean houses.
Perfect marriages.
Obedient children 100% of the time.
Businesses that are making tons of money, and the recognition that goes with it.
We, of course, base our success on likes, followers and fans.

Silly, really.
But unfortunately, 

The world of social media has brought out the insecure 12-year-old in all of us.

Vying for attention. Trying to come up with the next best blog post or picture to go viral.
And for a lot of it, it is simply for the popularity of it all.
I mean, who wouldn't want to come up with the next best workshop, book, idea, picture, quote, that will have everyone reposting their name?

Something hit me real hard last night.
Well...actually quite a few things did, but I don't feel like I can even wrap my mind around all the things that God was practically screaming at me.

It was a word.

Jealousy.

This word was gently yelled at me last night.
Not the jealousy I might feel towards others.
But the jealousy God feels towards me.
I don't think we talk about the jealousy God has as often as we should, because we have such a negative impression of the word.
But God uses this word so I think we should listen and think about it!

If I put it into a practical, human thought I might say -
I am married to Adam, and I would never even think about sharing him with another woman.
He is mine. And it is supposed to be that way for the rest of my life.
I would then be jealous if another woman got more attention than I did.

God created me. He created you.
We were created to bring Him glory (Isaiah 43:7) and here's what happens when I start living my life and doing the things that make it seem like I don't belong to Him...

He gets jealous!

But it is not the sinful jealousy I tend to find myself wallowing in when I see what other people have.
It is the jealousy that says -
You are my child.
What I have for you is better for you than anything you can ever chase after.
So stop. Just stop. I want you all to myself, because I love you.

I like the definition of jealous that says:

vigilant in guarding a possession

That is what God is doing with me.
He is vigilant in guarding one of his most prized possessions.

ME.

And it's just not ok when I start searching for satisfaction from how many friends I have.
It's just not ok when I start looking for validation from my followers.
It's just not ok.

Did you know that if I am relying on my husband to value me as a person, I am in the wrong?
Say what?!!?
IIIIIIIII knowwwwww!!
That's what I said!!

The same is true with my kids and my friends. Their approval of me should not matter one single bit in comparison to how much God's approval matters!

Why does it seem like I am so careful to make sure my family and friends are happy with what I am doing, and when they are disappointed in me it is like the worst thing ever?
But yet disappointing God doesn't even come into my mind before I make my choices.

I'm spending hour after hour perfecting my website while letting my mouth do what it wants.
I'm planning my next big event and never stopping once to make sure that what I am listening to for music is ok.
Never evaluating how my friends are influencing me, never reconsidering if I am starting to love money a little more than I should.

That is messed up yo.

It needs to stop.
Remember who  God is.
He is a consuming fire. He is a jealous God. (Deuteronomy 4:24)

One translation says: He does not tolerate rivals.
I love that.
Rivals.

So, who is God up against tonight?
Is he up against your favorite tv show?
Is he fighting for time with your husband or kids?
Maybe it's Facebook, cleaning, shopping, sleeping, reading..
it could be anything.

Let's get rid of our own jealousy towards others by remembering the pure jealousy of a God who wants more than anything to spend time with us.

Words to live by.
True that.