You know what I mean.

→ It’s when you minimize a co-workers accomplishments because you are really just jealous of them.

→ It’s when you roll your eyes at how someone tends to their house perfectly when really you are disappointed in how you tend yours.

→ It’s when you yell at your kids for being bad when you are really just frustrated with your husband.

→ It’s when you are frustrated with your husband for acting selfish when really you are the one who was selfish.

→ It’s when you get jealous at a friend for running the 5K when you are really just disappointed with your own self-discipline.

→ It’s when you question the true happiness of a friend’s marriage when you really are questioning if you married the right one.

→ It’s when you minimize a friend’s weight loss achievements because you just can’t put down the ice cream.

→ It’s when you can’t rejoice in another sister’s blessing because you really are wondering why God isn’t blessing you.

We have a way of deferring or transferring problems onto the wrong areas. We often take our frustrations with ourselves out on other people when the frustration we have is really with ourselves!

We need to be on guard for this. It’s so easy to slip into doing this. I know because I am guilty!

Here’s how I help keep this in check in my life.

♥ Pray for wisdom. I’m always asking God for wisdom in my life. There are days when the focus is parenting or marriage related, but in general, I need to be open for God’s wisdom to shine down so I can see what is going on.

♥ Own it. Once you see your behavior, take ownership. Don’t justify it. Don’t blame it on someone else. Own up. Get down and dirty and find the root problem.

♥ Keep accountable. I find that having someone in my life that I have to fess up to really helps. It also helps in knowing that I have someone that could come to me, while speaking the truth in love, and point out any errors in my life.

♥ Count your blessings. When I’m thankful for the things God has blessed me in my life, I’m less likely to be jealous of what someone else has.

♥ Live your life. Keep your gaze straight forward on what God has told you to tend to, to improve, to love. At the end of the day, YOU are accountable for your own life, not the lives of others!