“Envy” is defined as “a feeling of discontentment or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck.”
Abraham’s son, Isaac, was envied by the Philistines (Gen 26:12ff). Proverbs speaks of envy a few times: 3:31-32; 23:17. God judged the nation of Edom, Ezekiel 35:11, because they envied the nations of Israel and Judah.
The governor Pontius Pilate knew (Matt. 27:18) that Jesus was on trial because the Jewish leaders envied Jesus. Envy is listed among the sins that are worthy of death in Romans 1:29. It is a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:21, 26). In 1 Timothy 6:4, Paul says that controversial questions and disputes about words arise out of envy. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:1-2 that we need to lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy and envy and all slander, and long for the pure milk of the word so that we may grow in salvation.
So, envy is a sin. Envy will destroy our relationships with each other. Envy will affect our relationship with God. Envy will keep us out of heaven. That is why it is so important for us to keep envy out of our hearts or get it out of our hearts.
Envy says that God has no right to bless someone differently than He does me. Envy might be rooted in a weak self-esteem but it grows as we compare ourselves with others and we tell ourselves that, for whatever reason, we ought to have more than what he/she has.
So, what is the cure for envy? We cannot stoop to the same behaviors that might have allowed our co-worker to receive a pay raise or get a promotion if those behaviors are sinful. Yes, sometimes the wicked prosper. That brought some problems to David. Let’s consider Psalm 37:1-4.
David says in this psalm, don’t “fret” over the evildoers. Don’t be envious of them because they will get what’s coming to them. It is a spiritual law that if you sow wickedness, you will reap the results of that wicked life. It might not come in this lifetime, but God does not forget and the wicked will reap the results of that wickedness in the next life. So, if we feel envious because someone has prospered, we cannot fall into the trap of doing wickedness so that we, too, can prosper. Trust in the Lord and do good. Cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart – in due time, if it is His will for your life.
I also want to direct your attention to James 4. In James 4, James is correcting some unchristian behavior and unchristian thinking among the Christians in his day. There were some quarrels and conflicts among those Christians and the source of those conflicts was their physical pleasures (vs 1). They lusted (vs 2) and they envied (vs 2). That caused them to fight.
James says in verse 2 that one basic reason why they did not have what they thought they needed was because they did not ask! They did not pray for what they needed. So, when you feel the feelings of envy coming over you, let me ask: Are you praying for what is best? Are you praying for God to bless you with what you need? Here in the context, James tells his audience (vs 15), pray for the Lord’s will to be done in your life. In verse 3, James warns that some were praying but God did not answer their prayer the way the wanted because their prayers were selfish. So, when you are envious and you pray, ask yourself what your motivation is. Is it selfishness? If it is, you do not want God to answer such a prayer!
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One final thought… As we struggle with feelings of envy from time to time, we really ought to have the right attitude toward those whom we envy. That is, Paul writes in Romans 12:14-15 that we need to bless them, thank God for blessing them, and rejoice with them. Good things will come if we follow God’s word and do good toward those whom we might otherwise envy.
PRACTICAL THOUGHTS:
1. Don’t be envious. Guard your thoughts and your attitude.
2. Be thankful. Don’t despise what God has given you because of what God has given to others.
3. Be faithful. Do your own work well and efficiently. God will bless you in the right way, at the right time.
4. Be humble. God does not owe us anything.
5. Be patient. God will do what is right for us when it is right for us.
–Paul Holland
