To be consumed with envy, fear, hate or anxiety….Not so good.

What about being consumed with…somebody?  An example of this would be I’m so in love, my mind is consumed with thoughts of McDreamy but what about the negative side of this?

Let’s break it down.  Consumed literally means to be ingested, to be engrossed, or to destroy totally.  For the sake of this blog, I am referring to #2 – engrossed.

This topic has been on my heart for a while.  For personal reasons, and for things I’ve seen among my friends.  I received permission to talk about one situation in particular – but the others, I think are common enough that I will speak in generalities.  By no means am I giving the only examples of how people can be consumed – just the scenarios I see most often.

Have you ever been consumed with someone?  Just heart and mind constantly, and I mean constantly, focused on this person?  Whether in love, hate, envy or whatever else – it doesn’t ever seem healthy to be totally consumed with someone else.  I’m sure those in love may be thinking otherwise, but here’s my point.  This life is your life.  Shouldn’t YOU be the focal point of YOUR life?  Now I’m not talking about being egotistical or selfish, I very much believe in being selfless, so try to not take this out of context.

Let’s go with some examples, shall we?

Some of us my have the joy of having an ex that we’re not on the best terms with.  Or just an ex in general.  Maybe an ex with a new beau/girlfriend?  Most of us could relate to one of these.

Ever look at their social media pages?  How often?  No really… how often?  Ever find yourself looking into them anyway you can?  Googling their name?  Anonymously checking on them in LinkedIn?  You’re “over them“, just “curious” to see what they’re up to.  At what point does mere curiosity turn into….obsession?  Time consuming, thought consuming…

I have a good friend who’s on the other side of this scenario.  The person who has taken an extreme interest in my friend, and their family, has taken it too far.  What’s too far?  How about creating faux personalities to stalk, keep up to date, track what they do and harass them?  Calling from blocked numbers, following their friends, creating a whole other persona JUST to know what they’re doing. Now for my friend – that’s scary, creepy and just generally unsettling.  But I’d like to look at it from this insecure person’s angle.  At what point will this person realize that their interest in my friend has completely consumed them?  That tracking my friend has become a major effort and takes significant time and thought.  Perhaps this person should realize the type of power she’s given my friend.  Yes, power.

Perhaps it’s not one person – but multiple people, or a certain type of person.  Maybe you’re consumed with constantly comparing your life to those around you.  This one hits home for me.  While I am genuinely happy for those friends of mine who are happily married and starting families… I find myself getting jealous, wondering why isn’t that me…and before I know it, I’m consumed by bitterness that my life hasn’t turned out the way I thought it would…

I think it’s easy to be consumed by things/people/emotions but I’d like to encourage you to do a self check.  Did any of this hit home for you?  Have you put more effort into checking on someone else, comparing your life to someone else, having overwhelming unhealthy feelings?  What about other scenarios that weren’t discussed?

This is your life – make it about you.  It’s all relative friends.  I believe, with all my heart, in God’s perfect timing.  For me to fully embrace this, I can’t focus on the lives of others, be consumed by thoughts of “what if” or spend more time on someone else instead of caring physically/mentally for myself.

Friends, I want you to feel joy, peace, release, trust, faith in God’s timing and make this day, this life, about you!  My prayer for you is that whatever may be negatively consuming you – LET IT GO!  Enjoy this beautiful life that God created FOR YOU!

Picture from http://floricultures.tumblr.com