When I was about nine years old, my best friend got a new blue winter jacket. When I saw Laurie’s new jacket, I wanted one just like it. I needed a new winter coat, but nothing would do. It had to be like Laurie’s.
There was nothing special about her jacket. It was dark, plain, and at most, functional. It certainly didn’t have any pizazz or sparkle. Looking back now, it wasn’t a coat for me, but that didn’t stop me from begging my mother to buy me one just like it. In the end, my poor mother bought me the best replica she could find. But it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t what Laurie had.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house…nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s. Exodus 20 (KJV)
Why was I so desperate for what my friend had? Why do we want what others have? That shiny boat. Beautiful house. Fancy car. When will we ever be satisfied with what we’ve been given?
Psalm 145:16 You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Here’s the truth. We’ll never be satisfied with what we have. Unless. Yes, unless we realize that what God has bestowed on another isn’t meant for us. It’s a simple realization. We can walk around in a stupor, being jealous of those who have. Or we can be grateful for what we have and—this is key—see that God holds special things in store for us.
Proverbs 30: 8-9 Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?”
If you pray and meditate on His word, He will give you your own coat. It may not be the one you wanted, but it’ll be the one God chose for you, which is far greater than any coat you could hope for.
1 Chronicles 16:10 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
At the time, I didn’t understand that the blue coat wasn’t for me. It wasn’t meant for my body, my personality, my spirit. But God knew. I look back now and see it so clearly. God had a special coat designed for me. One that would bring me closer to Him, one I could wear with sheer joy, one that was meant only for me.
O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your loving kindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. Psalm 63
Don’t waste your life desperate for all the things you don’t have. Become desperate for God and see where that leads. Every one of us has a special coat to put on. My prayer for you is that you come to know God your Heavenly Father and that He blesses you with a beautiful coat—one that’s perfect for you!
1 Chronicles 16:25 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised.
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