Envy is the desire of wanting something that is not intended for you. When we are unclear of our identity, our God-given purpose, and His will for our lives, it creates a void which then leads to discontent.
“But if you have bitter envy or contention in your hearts, do not be puffed up against the truth and lie…16 For where there is envy and contention there is also chaos and every evil thing. Other translations say, “There you will find disorder and evil of every kind.” James 3:14
Envy creates discontent, which can lead to rebellion and resentments, which creates a deep desire to search. Deep within that person, there is no peace – only a void – a deep dissatisfaction, restlessness, and emptiness. This usually comes from being in a spiritually immature place, estranged from God, not knowing identity, or God’s plan and purpose for your life.
When we have this void and don’t seek God as the Answer, we can easily become ensnared in envy.
When a person is unhappy with their life, they start to notice others who seem happy, and they seek to find what it is that is making those people happy. Not having the eyes of their understanding opened to God who is their true JOY, they assume it’s worldly things like people, places, money, or things that will fulfill them. This is the snare that envy creates, luring people away from peace, joy, hope found only in God………to seek pleasure, lusts, happiness from the god of this world.
As they want to pursue being happy to stop the void, they come across roadblocks: the life, marriage, kids, family they already have. As they look at it and how it’s failed them, bitterness, hurt, and anger will start to surface. Envy will have them compare; bitterness will have them angry and blaming anyone, including God and their spouse.
Envy opens the door to all kinds of evil. The enemy is right there to bring other people into your spouse’s life that will tempt them into fulfilling what their hearts truly desire. What are those desires? Respect? Love? No responsibility? Partying and substance abuse? Lusts of the flesh? Money and material things? Vacations?
They start to look at this ‘green’ grass and listen to the enemy. This is where the hurts and resentments come into play. They feel that God, their spouse, or life has let them down, and they blame and deflect all that suffering as a result of what others have done to them.
In order for them to take their life into their own hands and be happy, they feel they must take control. They have to enter into a hard-hearted state of rebellion. Being disobedient, abandoning themselves over to being totally selfish and self-centered.
Rebellion is entering a state of contention and disobedience. Being disobedient and hardened to what they know is RIGHT, choosing to go against God and anyone that represents God or righteousness. This is why they choose other people who love evil, or people that may say they believe in God, but it’s not the God of truth! They twist scripture around to support the evil they love and follow it.
WHO IS AT RISK OF FALLING INTO ENVY?
A person that truly is at odds with God, their life, their circumstances. Those who feel they have NO control, no voice. As they realize they can’t change their life and feel totally helpless and out of control, the enemy offers them a solution. He entices them to look at what the world offers, to turn away from God, and to be their own boss.
They enter into such a place of anger and bitterness at the world, God, and their spouse!!! The only relief from the anger is to walk away and abandon it all. We know for a fact, many spouses will walk away from God the moment they walk away from their marriage and family. This is how the enemy operates. They believe this will offer them a do-over, a reset button.
“God failed you, let’s start over and do it right this time. YOU be in charge and do what YOU want,” he whispers. The enemy will also convince them into believing that turning back to God, spouse, and marriage is giving up on being happy and entering into a life of too much responsibility and continued suffering. This causes the spouse to fear and worry. As God is convicting them to return, the enemy is inflicting fear of them going back into a life of despair, hopelessness, and discontent. They fear to be in a place of no control, being so angry, and again feeling the deep hurt and rejection from God and their spouse. They fear God letting them down and experiencing disappointment again. Self-protection from these things is a powerful tool the enemy will keep them wrapped in.
Standers are not safe from envy. Many fall just as a victim to this kind of rebellion and disobedience as their lost spouse.
We are to guard our hearts with a healthy fear of living apart from God. Envy SEPARATES you from God!
Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. Proverbs 23:17
A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Proverbs 14:30
Certainly, anger kills a stubborn fool, and jealousy murders a gullible person. Job 5:2
Prayer Guidance: Pray against envy. Pray for the truth of God to come and open the eyes and EXPOSE the death and destruction of coveting what another has. Pray for your spouse to fully come to realize that this world has nothing to offer the void in their hearts.
Standing with you,
Sheila Hollinger
Meh, I mean envy is wanting something that belongs to someone else. Jealousy is fear of losing something that is yours to someone else. Fact is, this life isn’t fair because it’s corrupted by sin and death. Sometimes it’s easy to place burdens on others that are too heavy for ourselves to carry. Then when we watch that person fail to carry that burden, we can feel good about ourselves while looking down at our struggling neighbor.
The antidote to it all is Christ and the better way He’s shown us which is to love God with all our heart, mind, and strength; then love our neighbors as ourselves. We shouldn’t pass judgment on people prematurely. I find that those who accuse others of envy struggle with jealousy. Those who accuse others of anger struggle with passivity. And sometimes just labeling someone as envious is a catalyst for chaos and disorder, because no one likes to be slandered and it’s unrealistic to expect that people won’t stand up for themselves. Sadly this often confirms the accusation in the accuser/sometimes abuser’s mind.
To all those unfairly burdened out there: wait on the Lord. Hold your peace in the love of Christ. He’ll judge everything and everyone impartially. Don’t look to man for your justification or vindication.