Hello readers!
Here is another post on what God is teaching me about love. This one is on Love does not envy:
Envy: Discontented, aroused by another's fortune.
Jealousy: Suspicious or resentful. Envious, covetous.
Love does not envy. This can be very tough as perhaps you know someone who got a new car or a new house or went on a very nice vacation while you might be struggling to make ends meet. It can be hard not to envy this person. I am in a place where a lot of my friends have decent cars, jobs, and significant others, while I do not. It is a hard place and it is even harder not to be envious. This is something I am for sure dealing with.
Thankfully, God sustains and his mercies are renewed every morning. He has blessed me in so many ways and he is showing me how he has. So, let us learn together what he says in the word in regards to envy and how it does not go along with love.
Romans 13:13-14 "Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in...dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
Proverbs 14:30 "A heart of peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."
1 Corinthians 3:3 "You are still worldly. For since there is still jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?"
Man, in other words, you are acting more so of the world than of Christ when you allow jealousy and quarreling into relationships with people. In Galatians chapter 5, jealousy, discord, envy, and dissension are listed among "acts of sinful nature." It is hard. I think everyone struggles with that at some point in time. There is grace and forgiveness from the Lord. We need to give it to God and perhaps talk to the person(s) you are having trouble with. I will say that my toes are feeling a bit sore, but I need it.
Romans 13:9 "The commandments "Do not commit adultery", "Do not murder", Do not steal", "Do not covet", and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Mark 7:20-23 "He went on: what comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed; malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean."
A final note I will add is that jealousy and envy towards people can hurt. It can hurt them, your relationship with them, can hurt your relationship with God, it can make socializing awkward. It can cause damage. You can lose a lot because of it. I know I have lost friends due to it. I would encourage you to give it to God, pray for healing and restoration, and do not allow what you may not have that a friend or friends have to keep you from having wonderful and blessed friendship.
