James 3:16(KJV)
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Envy is the distress we feel when others have what we have not. According to the above Scripture, envy invites evil work. In a person’s life, resentment, unforgiveness, and hatred solicit the work of satan. Envy is deadly. It will destroy your soul, body, and life. Envy distorts the rational thinking process of the envious and makes such a fellow more subjective than objective. It will pervert our thinking, torture our minds, ruin our health, consume our bodies, wreck our reputations, and destroy our lives. Envy is dangerous because it can trigger a chain of unfavorable events in the life of the envious. We will die spiritually, emotionally, and physically if we allow envy to grow in our hearts. It is the midwife of jealousy and grandparents to character assassination and murder. Envy, if allowed, is dangerous to the well-being of the soul. It tends to pride; it contaminates and can eventually lead to self-destruction. Envying others will only earn us the displeasure and judgment of God. The mark of a place where there is envy is confusion and evil. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”
The root of envy is a dissatisfied heart. We experience envy when we cannot have what our heart desires. God’s Word condemns envy as a work of the flesh. It is written in Job 5:2, “For wrath killeth the foolish man and envy slayeth the silly one.” Envy is a terrible character flaw that everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior must completely give up. As Christians, we must thoroughly guard our hearts against envy. It is only possible when we crucify the self. Many believers are still struggling with the self, and where the self exists, envy will grow forcefully. Most criticisms and complaints today are acts rooted in envy and jealousy. Some people go to any extent to discredit, poison, afflict and destroy their own out of envy. The first bout of envy in the Bible surfaces in the story of Cain and Abel. Cain, the older brother, killed Abel out of envy because God looked with favor on the younger brother’s sacrifice but did not accept Cain’s offering(Genesis 4:3–5). Korah, Dathan, and Abiram paid dearly for the envy that led them to rebel against their leader Moses (Numbers 16:1-3). Envy made sure their generation was terminated. As a result of their envy, the Jewish leaders arrested Jesus (Mark 15:10).
Beloved, the price for envy can be very costly. There is no point in envying anyone in this life; it can cause you to lose your blessings and terminate your future generations. Instead of envying someone blessed by God, learn from them because their blessings will not stop yours. Today, choose to be content and live at peace. Be happy regardless of your circumstances, for God has a plan for you. He has an individual plan based on your unique talent, gift, and need. Looking into another’s life and envying what they have will steal your joy away from the blessings God has chosen to give you. Repent and amend your ways today before it is too late. Sincerely pray for the love of God to saturate your heart this day. Love doesn’t envy, so if you are envious of your brothers and sisters in Christ, then you do not love them. Hate envy! Never play with it. Reject any idea that you can allow envy and survive.
O Lord, in your mercy, uproot and destroy every trace of envy in my heart in Jesus’ Name.