Spiritual Growth and Maturity

Jealousy.

Eww, such an ugly word, right!

In the Christian circle, jealousy is not something you talk about.

Not openly, anyway.

It is preferred to be kept silent, hidden and not expressed to those who might judge you for actually having feelings of jealousy towards another.

Especially, if you claim the title of a Christian.

However, you cannot hide how you feel, even if you tried.

There is that old saying, “Faith over Feelings.”

I agree with that statement, however you cannot run, hide and pretend that your feelings don’t exist.

All that will do is cause you more harm than good.

God knows you are going to have feelings.

Some good feelings and some bad.

There is nothing wrong with having feelings.

It is all part of being human.

What is wrong is when you don’t own up to them and take responsibility for them.

That is the first step.

The next step is to take those unwanted feelings before the Lord.

Be honest with Him.

You are not hiding anything from Him that He doesn’t already know so just confess and talk to Him about them.

Allow Him to heal you from those unwanted feelings and ask Him to show you how to become more confident in who you are in Him

Ask Him to show you ways in which you can drive out these envious thoughts.

You can do this in so many ways.

Some examples are:

• Stay in His Word.

• Pray continually to God.

• Talk to Him like you would your best friend, because He is.

• Never forget the Lord’s great love for you.

• Know that your true identity is in Christ Jesus.

• Put on worship music and praise Him for who He is.

• Lift up your voice and proclaim the great things that He has done and will do for you.

• Know you are uniquely and wonderfully made in God’s own image.

• Stay in a mindful state of gratitude; which will drive out envy.

• Look for ways to celebrate the blessings of others.

• Welcome the simple act of having a giving heart which will free you from thoughts of envy.

• Express how you are feeling with other believers.

• Listen to sound advice from other believers on how you might be able to overcome those feelings of jealousy towards someone else.

If you try to pretend that those feelings are not there, brush them off, condemn yourself for having them, then you are essentially denying your feelings and that can detrimental to your health and emotional well being.

Lets face it, we have all felt jealousy towards another individual at some point in our lives.

We have compared ourselves in so many ways it can be hard to keep track of them all.

If you say that you haven’t felt jealousy or envy toward another, then chances are that you are not being honest with yourself and you are certainly not being honest with God.

I know that as a Christian having feelings of jealousy towards another is not something we want to carry around within our hearts and spirits.

It is a heavy weight and a burden that we want removed, and removed swiftly.

I myself want my attitude to be one of encouragement when I see others; especially other Christians, accomplishing great things in God’s Kingdom work.

I want to stand proud and cheer them on with gladness and purity of heart.

But sometimes, the flesh takes precedence over our emotions and feelings and we just can’t seem to feel in the way we hoped we would.

That is when we need to take it before the Lord.

Even in our shame we can still lay it at His feet.

He will lift it and carry the weight of it for you.

Psalms 55:22 says – “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

This should be a tremendous encouragement to all true Believers.

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there!

1 Peter 5:6-7 says – “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Go before the Lord in humility and seek His counsel.

He will not stir you wrongfully.

Trust Him and let him lift your burdens.

Jesus said we could cast all of our cares on him because he cares for us!

There is nothing we are going through that we cannot cast on the Lord.

God cares for what concerns you.

I understand how difficult it can be to avoid the trappings that the enemy so cleverly persuades upon the human heart.

James 4:7 reminds us to – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Remember Satan was defeated at the cross. He has no authority over Christians.

1 Peter 5:8-9 is a beautiful reminder to – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

Every true believer has faced or will face the onslaught of the evil one so we must stay mentally self-controlled, awake and watchful at all times.

This battle is not yours, it is the Lords!

Remember in 2 Chronicles 20:15, which plainly states – “…Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

Allow the Lord to fight for you.

If we try to fight the battle on our terms, we will lose; if we fight the battle on His terms, we will win.

Remember beloved, as long as we walk in this fleshly body, we will be tempted.

We will be tempted in mind, body, and in spirit.

Our feelings and emotions are not immune to the devices of Satan.

In fact, that is how he accomplishes the majority of His evil schemes.

Don’t allow shame and condemnation to filtrate into your soul and spirits.

Remember what God’s Holy Word tells us in Romans 8 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

But even against all of our greatest efforts, the enemy will faithfully and without any resistance, continually remind us of our past failures, mistakes, and misgivings.

This is done so that we will continue to feel shame, regret, and guilt.

Remember that it is only our sin that is condemned and Jesus has set us free.

Remain steadfast and allow His love, grace and mercy to pour over you each and every day.

This will prevent you from having envious thoughts that will only cloud your mind, heart and spirit.

Give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit within us to convict us of sin and turn us back to Christ Jesus.

Be not forgetful, Christ already fought the battle and won, and did so at the Cross.

By doing that, the Holy Spirit has guaranteed us victory through Christ.

Pray this Prayer

Dear Lord, We come before You, and ask that you purify our hearts and minds. Remove from our spirits those unwanted thoughts of envy and jealousy. We know that these feelings that so often accompany us along our journey are not pleasing to You. We want desperately to walk with sincerity, love and holiness. Help us, Lord, to uplift, encourage and edify other Christians as they diligently and faithfully go about Your Kingdom work. Strengthen and guard us against the evil one, Lord! Let Your peace and Your Word be our shield of faith that repels us against our unwarranted emotions and feelings of inadequacy. Remind us of who we are in You- beloved and cherished, forgiven and free. Bring your life and peace into each of our days and help us to walk righteously. Empower us to overcome a spirit of jealousy and the condemnation that often stricken us from accomplishing the plans that You have for us. May we forever grow in Your truth, grace, and love. We ask this in Jesus’ precious Name, Amen

In His Love,
Tina ♡

* Some Expositor Notes were paraphrased and taken from -JSM Expositor’s Study Bible – KJV