Have you ever thought about a sickness in your life? What does that sickness do to your life, your job, your plans etc? Sometimes the sickness can be fatal while other times it comes and goes. Sickness though consumes our body and our life at times and slows everything down; re-routes your plans temporarily. What if I told you there are some sicknesses we live with we don’t even realize we have? Anger is a sickness we often justify as something we’ve “always had or that’s just the way I am.” Then there’s Envy. Hmmm, I don’t envy anyone or anything? I’m content and happy with what I have and who I am. What about Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, Saul and David, satan and God.. These are examples of those who envied but it didn’t start out that way-it never does. At first you have a friend who let’s face it, isn’t what you are or maybe where you are with God or in life. That person finally gets saved after all the talks you’ve had with them, countless nights up crying and sharing. That friend receives a position in church or in Sunday School that you think you should’ve had. All of a sudden, you become angry and bitter, lashing out at the friend and others around saying they “just got saved, you’re going to place them in that position?” Never happy for them and if you are, it’s superficial. There’s other examples but the best example I can think of is between David and Johnathan. Saul’s son Johnathan was in line to become King of the land yet God had other plans. Now, if anyone has reason to be mad, upset, hurt and even envious, it would be Johnathan. However, Johnathan listened to God speak to him and David-therefore no envy or jealously was entered into their relationship. Look at what God says about Envy in James 3:14-16:
“But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Envy doesn’t come from God or the Holy Spirit-it is earthly, unspiritual and even of the devil. There’s disorder in envy because it creates chaos, no organization and causes feelings to arise in you which are of the devil. You could resent God’s movement in someone else’s life or even ignoring God’s movement in your own life. These types of resentment are prevalent in today’s society and almost welcomed. There’s always a “reason” and it’s ok to feel that way. In actuality, this is not the way we should feel and how we should act. Look at what Proverbs 14:30 says about envy and boy, it gets down to the core:
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
See, most of the envy we feel, encounter, bring into our own lives is due to comparing us to others and their lives, profession, success etc. We love to compare ourself to others to (1) make ourself feel better or worse (2) gain empathy and sorrow and (3) get attention; from the other person or situation. Make sense? Of course and you may be thinking right now you don’t do things like that. I think if we’re totally honest with ourself, we’ll realize we do it more than we admit. God tells us in Galations 6:4-
“Each one should test his own actions…without comparing himself to somebody else.”
We need to start celebrating with others especially when it comes to God and His blessings. In Romans 12:15 Christ tells us in the first part of that verse to rejoice with those who rejoice; in other words, be happy for them and celebrate the goodness God has brought into their lives. Quit spending time discouraging the ones who need encouragement the most, each other. What would our world be like if we just encouraged people and those around us, celebrated when things went well, cried when things went wrong and laughed when life brings those moments into our life?
We can’t celebrate with others until we embrace God’s love and celebratory moments first in our own life. We have to celebrate what God does in our own life-no matter how big or small it may be. Just because we don’t get recognition for something we did yet someone else gets lifted up…celebrate! Just because you said the right thing in the meeting but it was perceived in a different light or by someone else?? celebrate. Know inside your heart God is doing a wonderful work of humbleness and graciousness right then. It may not be evident at the time but I promise you if you’ll pray for it, accept it and give it to God, you’ll see. Celebrate in the fact you have a Savior who loves you, given you the family, spouse, children, people, job etc. in your life you need to survive and when a new chapter opens, an old one closes-celebrate! Celebrate in all things-be happy and joyous knowing God has His hand all over it.
I leave you with 2 wonderful verses which I hope, can help turn your paths to clarity and truth. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages us to “Always be joyful” and no matter what happens we should always be thankful-check it out..
Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Titus helps us understand what God did for us, offered His mercy to us yet we don’t give mercy to others? Why -because they don’t deserve it? Who are we that we deserve it? Who are we to not offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me, abused me, neglected me or sexually hurt me? We can’t-but God can.. That’s the point, we must die to Envy and the other things which keep us separated from God-no matter the cost. Sometimes we endure the pain for a time while other times, we endure it from here on out. Maybe we endure it to remind us what we should do, help others who are struggling with the same issue or remind us to stay close to God? It’s between you and God and you have to decide. God already paid the price for your sin, your short-coming-by giving up His one and only Son to die on a cruel cross. Then we don’t offer mercy, grace or forgiveness because someone doesn’t deserve it? We don’t deserve what we have yet Christ gave us His mercy anyway. Look at Titus 3:3-5 and allow it to talk to your heart, clear up some paths which have been fuzzy or undefined in your life-allow peace to overtake your heart.
…”Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us. But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit…”
