Here’s the thing about admiration. It can be a good thing until it’s not. I can admire an actor or actress for getting high acclaim in a blockbuster film, an influencer for having millions of subscribers or a novelist for getting on the New York Times Best Sellers list. On a smaller scale, I can get on any social media account to see a friend or family member thriving and find that to be such a wonderful thing.

But what happens when admiration turns into jealousy? What happens when you start thinking more about what other people are doing or have done than what God is trying to do just for you?

Well, I’ll tell you. There’s this emptiness that comes with crowning idols. And sometimes, it happens so gradually that you don’t even notice that’s what you’re doing. I’ve always been told to be careful of the things you watch and listen to because they can have a lasting impact on your mind. When I was younger, I didn’t take it seriously, but with age comes experiences. And with experience comes wisdom.

Now, I get it. The lightbulb clicked.

If I spend more time watching things that have no relation to God than getting connected to the one who created the blueprint of my life, I can easily become discouraged. But if I cling to God in every avenue of my life and go to Him when I am feeling lost, no amount of fame or fortune or status that anyone else has is going to affect what God is doing in my life.

Because what God has for me is for me, and that’s something to be excited about!

-Jas