Confessing Worldliness

Lent gives us a season to reflect on the ways in which the "world" has crept into our thoughts, words, and deeds. It gives us a season to repent of worldliness. But, what is worldliness exactly? Dictionary.com defines worldly as:

1.  of or relating to this world as contrasted with heaven, spiritual life, etc.; earthly, mundane

That didn't really help me. How do I repent of things related to this world? There are many things of this world ... created by God ... that are good and beautiful and a blessing. Even mundane earthly things can be of benefit, so is it when the things of the world take priority in my thoughts, words, and deeds ... is that what needs repenting? That is always a struggle, isn't it ... putting God before the things of earth? I kept reading ...

2.  experienced; knowing; sophisticated
3.  devoted to, directed toward, or connected with the affairs, interests, or pleasures of this world
4.  of or relating to the people or laity; secular; neither ecclesiastical nor religious.

Um ... still didn't help me get to a real meaning. Then, I came across the definition written by my spiritual elder:

Worldliness means smarting under every slight, challenging every word spoken against us, and cringing when another is preferred before us. The spirit of worldliness harbors grudges, nurses grievances, and wallows in self-pity. Worldliness in other words, fosters the blindness of self-centeredness.

Ouch! When this spirit of worldliness takes hold of a heart ... of my heart ... what is the result? Discord. Disunity. Discouragement. It breaks my heart. It breaks relationships with others. And, it breaks my communion with God, with my Lord. I get this. I understand this. And, of this with the help of my Lord and the Holy Spirit ... I can repent.