James gives us the following warning about having a heart full of jealousy or envy:
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
-James 3:14-16
A jealous heart, according to God’s word, has been influenced by our own selfish desires, the ungodly values of the world, and the devil himself. Such a heart will not produce good outcomes. Jealousy was, in fact, the sinister force behind the first homicide (Genesis 4:1-8).
It is foolish to be jealous or envious of others. I would like you to consider four realities we have forgotten (or chose to ignore) when we are consumed by jealousy and envy.
First and foremost, a jealous heart has forgotten the grace of God.
Grace is at the heart of the gospel. It is the truth that because of what Christ has done on my behalf, I receive something from God that I have not earned and do not even deserve. What I deserve is judgement and rejection. But through Christ I receive just the opposite: forgiveness, mercy, and even adoption as a child of God.
It’s impossible for me to be jealous of others when I consider the amazing grace that God has expressed towards me!
Next, a jealous heart has forgotten the goodness of God.
Not only is God gracious, He is good. Any good thing I have in life is because God has, in His goodness, given it to me (James 1:17).
It’s foolish to be jealous of others because they may be blessed differently than I. I could, for example, choose to be jealous of people with a full head of hair. But I would rather be thankful that, at 50+ years old, I have a body that still works.
I can choose to be jealous or to be grateful, but I can’t be both.
A jealous heart has forgotten the sovereignty and wisdom of God.
Have you ever been thankful that God did not give you what you wanted? I’ve lost count of the number of times when I have been disappointed, only to discover that receiving what I asked for would have been disastrous!
I have learned that God closes doors for a reason. I can trust Him to give me what I need, when I need it. What He chooses to give someone else has no bearing on His plan for my life. I pray that you will learn the same lesson (maybe sooner than I have).
Finally, a jealous heart has forgotten that things are not always as they appear.
A couple of weeks ago I watched a video of a woman tearfully confessing that she and her husband were separated. I don’t know much about her, but she and her family apparently have millions of social media followers. I’m sure many of them were shocked by the news. How could a seemingly happy family fall apart with no warning?
The answer is pretty simple: things were not as they seemed. Social media bombards us with images of perfect, happy lives. I get it–I have no desire to post videos/photos of my worst moments.
But we must be mindful of this: what you see on social media is a highly edited version of one’s life. If you are not careful you may find yourself being envious of an illusion–of a life that doesn’t even exist in reality.
Father, forgive me for those times I have allowed jealousy and envy to reign in my heart. I pray that I will instead have a heart full of gratitude for your grace, goodness, and wisdom–all of which have been so richly expressed in my life.
