Covetous or scrupulous?

[marcb]

I'm sure you all can relate to the real moments in life where you act and then question whether or not you did the right thing. I can't seem to shake this question and would like to enlist your Godly advice.

My wife and I have been praying about finding the right house to raise our growing family. We were house hunting today and moved quickly once we saw the house we wanted. It's a new home and the last of it's kind in the development. We didn't want to miss the opportunity. The agent indicated that there was another couple interested, but they were going to sleep on it. I told her we didn't have to sleep on it and convinced her right at closing time to take our deposit check required to take the house off the market. I expressed to the agent that I didn't want to undercut that couple, but really they wanted more time and we didn't. I also didn't want to go in Sunday morning to conduct a transaction.

I can't help but feel remorse over the way I was so hasty and potentially took an opportunity away from another couple. I'm obsessing about it and trying to figure out if I acted greedy or covetous by wanting that house now. Do I need to do something to make this right? I have been praying and asking God for His grace if I have done something against His will. If I have been covetous (which I suppose I have), how can I make this right?
Should I go back tomorrow and see if the couple comes back?

The whole process seems to be in such conflict with what Jesus teaches us about putting others first. Do you all have any insight or suggestions?

Thank you for reading. Marc

 

[gracealone]

Hey Marc,
Yes...yes... procrastination in these matters is always the better choice. As a matter of fact next time you see a long line at a movie you want to attend I think you should walk very slowly in order to let other people get in line in front of you then you need to just let people keep taking cuts in front of you until the entire theater is filled and you miss your chance to see the show. You know I'm picking on you ... right... but only because I know you can take it.
Actually we had to do a similar thing when we purchased this foreclosed house. There were three other bids on the realtors desk of folk wanting the house and we moved very quickly to get our deposit to him in order that their bids wouldn't reach the seller before ours. If we hadn't done that we would have likely lost the house. (Man do I feel like a jerk. )
I think we acted prudently in this matter and I think you did too.
When you apply for a job you usually compete with other people for that too. Does that mean that you're being covetous? When you run a race to win, is that a sin?
It's hard to have our OCD attack us even when good things happen. It always trys to throw a wrench in to everything.
This is just your old pal OCD causing you to react in a hyper scrupulous way and at it's root is just a variation on a familiar theme. "Have I done something to displease God?"
If I were you I'd just pray that God work out His will for your family as well as the other family in your new home purchases and then just leave it at that. Really - leave it don't regurgitate it again.
Just my two cents on the matter.
Congrats on finding your new home.
Blessings,
Mitzi

I'm sure you all can relate to the real moments in life where you act and then question whether or not you did the right thing. I can't seem to shake this question and would like to enlist your Godly advice.

My wife and I have been praying about finding the right house to raise our growing family. We were house hunting today and moved quickly once we saw the house we wanted. It's a new home and the last of it's kind in the development. We didn't want to miss the opportunity. The agent indicated that there was another couple interested, but they were going to sleep on it. I told her we didn't have to sleep on it and convinced her right at closing time to take our deposit check required to take the house off the market. I expressed to the agent that I didn't want to undercut that couple, but really they wanted more time and we didn't. I also didn't want to go in Sunday morning to conduct a transaction.

I can't help but feel remorse over the way I was so hasty and potentially took an opportunity away from another couple. I'm obsessing about it and trying to figure out if I acted greedy or covetous by wanting that house now. Do I need to do something to make this right? I have been praying and asking God for His grace if I have done something against His will. If I have been covetous (which I suppose I have), how can I make this right?
Should I go back tomorrow and see if the couple comes back?

The whole process seems to be in such conflict with what Jesus teaches us about putting others first. Do you all have any insight or suggestions?

Thank you for reading. Marc

 

[QUannie]

Maybe you are a godly father and husband doing the best for and providing for his family like your supposed to.
Maybe the other couple needed to sleep on it because this was the house for you and He has something else in mind for them.

That's my 2 cents....

Q

 

[marcb]

Thank you for your responses. I am so blessed to have a community of faith that understands these kinds of struggles and can provide such sound advice and encouragement. We are moving forward with the home. God bless you all. Marc

 

[kaykay9.0]

I agree with grace (good to see you again, Grace!) and Quannie. If the other couple had been sure, they would have acted on it too. The fact that they didn't indicates they weren't as sure they wanted it as you were. They knew they risked losing it when they didn't decide immediately. Maybe it indeed wasn't right for them. I don't think you should sweat over it. The couple may have even been less interested than you think regardless. Sometimes a realtor can exaggerate someone else's level of interest. Not saying that's what happened here, but it does happen sometimes if you know what I mean.

 

[marcb]

The couple may have even been less interested than you think regardless. Sometimes a realtor can exaggerate someone else's level of interest. Not saying that's what happened here, but it does happen sometimes if you know what I mean.

Yes, in fact they never returned!!! Thank you all for your responses and support. See you at the housewarming!

 

[seajoy]

Maybe you are a godly father and husband doing the best for and providing for his family like your supposed to.
Maybe the other couple needed to sleep on it because this was the house for you and He has something else in mind for them.

That's my 2 cents....

Q

Excellent post, Q!
Marc...you did nothing wrong.