Archived Verse Of the Week

- BsL

Many, if not most, people compare themselves to others. Unfortunately, it is human nature and left unchecked, jealousy and envy combine to create toxic conditions of anger, fear, greed and insecurity.

Jealousy stems from a desire for what others have, but envy buds from contempt for other people's blessings and prosperity. Both are polar opposites of love and aim to exploit the sorrow of others. Jealousy and envy stem from a person's inability to perceive what God has supplied in their lives and a lack of thankfulness. 

Proverbs 27:4 states, "Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?" Solomon asserts that cruelty and anger are already terrible and overwhelming. Still, compared to jealousy, he wonders, "Who can stand before that?" Jealousy, which can frequently be confused with coveting, is the only commandment that can't be sustained on the outside because it is a matter of the heart. 

Furthermore, James 3:16 says, "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." James is writing about two sets of things that usually go together: envy and self-centred ambition. These two produce two more unproductive byproducts: disarray and malicious behaviour. The opposite must be true: where there is no envy and selfish ambition, there is no disorder or malicious behaviour. It's cause-and-effect, envy = disorder, selfish ambition = malicious behaviour.

The first step toward overcoming the problems of jealousy and envy is to recognize that it exists in the majority, if not all, of people. A person must admit that this sin exists within their souls and ask God to clarify their motivations and feelings. Individuals might begin the change process by confessing their sinful attitude to Christ.

We can win this internal struggle by becoming analytical in questioning why we are jealous and envious of other people. Uncovering these underlying complications might assist a person in learning to overcome and release them.

God evaluates a person's heart. He does not assess someone's accomplishments, wealth, or outward attractiveness. People who live to serve God and are thankful that God has delivered them from their difficulties will find inner peace.

Here are three scriptures from the Bible that might help overcome these emotions.

Proverbs 30:8-9 "Remove falsehood and lie far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches—Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God."

Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived, recognized the need for balance. He realized that poverty could turn someone into a thief, but riches could make someone forget God because the money would replace God. Riches can be a god in and of themselves; they can provide us with food, housing, comfort, and everything we need, leading us to deny God and ask, "Who is the LORD?"

James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."

There are times when many of us feel envious of others' blessings, but have you considered that they may have prayed and asked for the right reasons? Let's be honest; sometimes, our hearts are not in the proper place, and we make the mistake of asking with the wrong reasons and intentions.

Philippians 2:3 "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."

Search your heart and ask the difficult questions; try not to act out of selfish ambition or conceit, ensure your motives are clean and direct your goals toward others rather than yourself. Our challenges and trials are frequently the best things for us. They keep us humble and make us understand our great need for God, but when our very needs are met, we develop amnesia and forget all about God.

The key to conquering jealousy biblically is to identify its causes and then combat them with the truth of God's Word. Put the command in Romans 12:1-2 into action, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." This is an act of worship on your part. Instead of continuing to follow the rules of this world, reinvent yourself by having your mind renewed. So, as Paul exhorted Timothy, let us dwell and give these things our full attention. "Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all."

1 Timothy 4:15.