Love Does Not Envy

Confession time.

When I love someone, I want the very best for them. I really do. 

When they are working hard on a goal or striving to achieve something, I'll be the first one to send them all the good wishes, write all the notes of encouragement, and pray all the prayers for fulfillment. 

I'm all supportive, that is until they get it. 

Then, I can find myself turning a dark and unsightly shade of green.

My thoughts twist and coil from loving support and joy to resentment and envy.

To be envious is to be painfully aware and resentful of an advantage another has, coupled with a desire to have the same thing.

It is the illusive pining for what we do not have. 

Envy is the exact opposite of the feelings of gratitude and appreciation for the wonderful gifts God has given us. 

We can be spoiled, ungrateful little rascals sometimes, can't we?

When envy comes knocking, we must quickly slam the door it in that stinkin' green-eyed monster's face. 

We can turn away from those thoughts and instead sit with God, who quickly reminds us how much He loves us. How precious we are to him, how he lavishes us with gifts and talents unlike anyone else. 

We can then think of that person. We can focus on how much we love and are proud of them. 

We can think of how much God loves them. How precious they are to Him. How He lavishes them with gifts and talents unlike anyone else

For you see, the world is abundant and rich with blessings for us all, my friend. 

God has more than enough to provide us with if we choose to accept all that he can lovingly bestow upon us. 

There is more than enough to go around. And for that, we are eternally grateful.

So we bid you adieu envy. Goodbye forever, you joy-stealing green-eyed monster. 

God loves you, and so do I!

1 Corinthians 13:4

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Proverbs 23: 17-18

Do not let your heart envy sinners,but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.