“If only we wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, which is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.”
— CHARLES DE MONTESQUIEU
A couple months ago, I posted a poll on Instagram asking my followers the question-
“If you could, which feeling would you like to never feel again?”
Their choices were:
-sadness
-anger
-fear or
-envy
The results were staggering.
Just 10% answered sadness, 11% answered anger,
18% answered fear and
61% answered envy.
Proverbs 14:30 says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
Other translations describe envy as a “cancer” to the bones.
Cancer is a disease which, if caught in it’s early stages, can be cured. But, if not immediately controlled and terminated, it will soon spread and affect every organ, cell, blood vessel and lymph node in the body leading only to one thing-
death.
If we’re honest, most of us probably wouldn’t consider envy to be that serious.
It’s just one jealous thought.
It’s just that one person on instagram.
It’s just her laugh, or his job, or her nails, or his car.
But envy rots the bones, and if not treated right away,
it will grow and fester and multiply.
Cancer is deadly.
And so is envy.
Galatians 5:19-21 says- “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication…. hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions…. envy, murders, drunkenness… and the like; of which I tell you… that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Envy may seem trite. But it’s not little to God.
It’s serious.
I will be the first to admit that I am easily envious of others. Envious of their relationships when I am lonely or missing loved ones. Envious of their success when God has told me to surrender. Envious of their time when it feels like I have none. Envious of their peace when I am ridden with anxiety and stress.
And there is no better breeding ground for envy than on social media.
We know it is a showcase of the “highlight” reels of life, yet its so easy to convince ourselves that peoples lives really are always that glamorous or exciting or happy.
They’re not.
Because if 61% of people would like to never feel envy again, then more likely than not the person you are envying is envying someone else, who is envying someone else, and so on, and so on….
It’s a vicious cycle.
But it’s one that we can end.
1 Corinthians 13:4 says-
“Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy…”
How can we combat envy?
With love.
Love for God and love for others.
Love finds contentment in whatever state it finds itself; envy wallows in the mud of discontentment-with who you are or what you have.
Envy desires to take, love desires to give.
Envy is self-seeking, love is self-less.
Envy compares, love congratulates.
Envy harbors hate, love harbors affection.
Love is the cure for the cancer that is envy.
Titus 3:3-7 says this-
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared- he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.“
When we love God, we are filled with gratefulness at all he’s done and all he’s doing in our lives. When we focus on what IS good- his truth, his mercy, his kindness and salvation- we weed out the space to long for what might look good, but isn’t good for us.
Because we have everything we need in Him.
Perhaps if Eve had taken a long look at all the trees in the garden that God had already supplied for her, and thanked him for his provision, she wouldn’t have longed for the forbidden fruit of the tree of good and evil-which promised goodness, but instead- brought death.
When I saw the results of that poll I shared on Instagram, my heart grew heavy as I realized so many of us are plagued with the bone rotting, soul sucking, love crushing disease called envy. So many of us would rather walk the lonely road of sadness or the harrowing road of fear then find ourselves on the teasing trail of envy.
But a diagnosis doesn’t have to be a death sentence.
If cancer is treated right away, people can survive and be in remission for the rest of their lives.
Just like we can treat the cancer of our hearts with love.
So for the 61% of you who said you’d like to never feel envy again-
Good news.
It’s possible.
“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit you way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” -Psalm 37:1-7
To come to a greater understanding of these truths on envy vs. love, as in years past, I will be giving up all forms of social media, including this blog, during the 40 days of Lent which begins next Wednesday. I will be updating my social profiles every “feast day” (Sunday), but other than that I will be MIA. To read more about why I practice lent as an evangelical Christian, check out this blog post. Also feel free to browse my blog for more devotionals and resources leading up to Easter such as the series I ran last year titled “Ten Sonnets to Springtime.”
