Rooting Out Envy

Sunday August 27, 2023

Envy is included on many lists of character defects. Envy is the sense of wanting what others have or feeling that we deserve more. The Bible speaks about this negative character trait in strong terms saying that if we harbour feelings of envy, it pollutes us, and makes us "unfit for God."

For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery, wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly. All these vile things come from within; they are what pollute you and make you unfit for God. (Mark 7:21-23 TLB)

Wanting what others have or feeling we deserve more is opposite to living in contentment with what we do have. God created the earth and humans so that we could be in relationship with Him.

God chose not to give humans the knowledge of good and evil. Satan, the deceiver, twisted the thoughts of the first humans by causing them to envy God and be like Him with the knowledge of good and evil. What a mess that created! Jesus, on the other hand, did not hold to being equal with God, but humbled Himself and came to earth to die for our sins. Jesus set aside His majesty in heaven so He could come and liberate us from the sin debt we owed. This was God’s way of restoring His relationship with humans and giving them life with Him forever.

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. (Proverbs 14:30 NIV)

We are instructed by God to look to Him for all we need and to give thanks for the generous gifts He provides for us each day. God will give us everything we need to live the life He has prepared for us. Being contented in God’s care with what He has provided for us will free us from the character defect of envy.

You want what you don’t have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can’t afford it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. (James 4:2 TLB)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for taking good care of me. Forgive me for being discontented and for envying what others have. Help me to be like Jesus and live life as You planned it for me, and be ever thankful that You will provide all that I need . Amen

More information on this and other related topics @ http://www.partnersinhope.ca/life-with-god-in-recovery-resources/

Rooting Out Envy

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