ICFW - JEALOUSY - "God Owes Me"

When we think of jealousy or envy, we think of the things that others have that we lack – looks, skills, opportunities, health, height, inheritance, etc. We assume that our problem is with the person who possesses what we lack. But let’s face it; God could have fixed all that for us. Whatever he gave your neighbor, he could have given it to us, right. So jealousy is us saying, “God owes me”. The point is; there’s an inequity that God could have remedied. Let’s be honest, most of us believe on some level that if God had taken as good care of us as he has some people we know, our lives would be richer.

The one thing that serves as vindication to my jealousy is for the person I envy to suffer a setback of some kind. The one thing the HAVES can do to make us HAVE-NOTS feel better is to lose what they have. Ever feel a twinge of satisfaction when that girl is dumped by the guy you like?

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

When we come to God with our disappointments and discontentment, we will find mercy and grace. Why? The preceding verse explains:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:17)

When you bring your wishes and wants, dreams and disappointments to our Heavenly Father, you are bringing them to one who is able to sympathize.

So when discussing guilt, we said the antidote was confession. The habit that overcomes anger is forgiveness. Greed is overcome with generous giving. The habit that will enable you to strengthen your heart against jealousy is celebration.

To guard your heart against jealousy, you’ve got to celebrate the success, size, beauty, stuff that you tend to envy in others. You have to go out of your way and make a habit of congratulating those who are good athletes, give them a pat on the back, be their best cheerer. If your sister is petite and beautiful, make her feel special. It is the only way you can conquer jealousy. Expressing the truth helps to free you from the emotional bondage that is such an integral part of jealousy. You are protecting your heart. You are saying “no” to jealousy.