When someone gets exactly what you want

You know that moment when you open up social media and there in front of you is someone with a post showing you exactly what you want but don’t have and they do?  I know I’m not the only one that’s had this happen!

Recently this happened to me in such a specific way that it pierced my heart.  A sweet girl had accomplished a dream that was so crazy similar to mine that it was hypothetically spelled out the same way.  I’d worked toward that specific dream a few years ago only to have door after door shut in my face.  It wasn’t the right time.  It wasn’t the right season.  But seeing her accomplish what I had longed for and had fought for was painful in that moment.  To top it off the opportunity had been dropped in her lap.  It’s hard for me to admit this to you.  Yet the reality is I was resentful.  I wasn’t upset with her but I was upset that I didn’t have it too.  It’s not that I didn’t want her to have it but I wanted both of us to.

People will get what you want and you wont.  That’s the simple fact.  But what do we do when someone gets exactly what you want?  How do you deal with that?  I’m not here to say I have all the answers on this one but I do hope to encourage your heart.

What happens to be the best story for one person isn’t always the best story for another.  As a Christian woman I ultimately believe that God is in control yet so often my life shows otherwise.  Typically I like my life as long as it’s going according to my plan.  God graciously reminds me again and again that his plan while different is always best.  He doesn’t just do things for my good but my best! That’s really amazing if you think about it.  If you trust Jesus with your life then you can rest assured that the God that knows every single outcome is picking the best one for you.  Let me clarify, this doesn’t mean that it will feel best.  As my mom says, “Lord can you please give me a blessing and not one in disguise?”  The reality is that sometimes blessings do come in painful ways.

So what do we do with these painful circumstances and denied desires?  We are longing.  Every one of  us is longing for something and even if we do get it then it will be replaced by a new longing…unless we are satisfied.  Those longings can remind us that we are ultimately longing for heaven and Jesus.  He allows denied desires to point us to him.  Because he’s the only thing that can satisfy.  He’s the infinite good we’re looking for.  He’s the ultimate purpose we crave.  He’s the beauty our hearts seek.  He’s the worth we are trying to find.  Let those denied desires draw you close to the heart of God.  Let those longings turn your gaze to the One who can actually satisfy them.

The story isn’t over.  This isn’t the ending.  Sometimes God allows us to eventually get the desires we see others getting and sometimes he doesn’t.   Either way we can calm our hearts knowing that he loves us enough to do what’s for our best.