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| My Quiet Place, My Bathroom |
Envy
Envy is never without pain. Unlike pride, envy is not a sin one enjoys. Pride may reap attention and approval, but envy only reaps torment. What the envier cannot enjoy, no one should enjoy so; therefore, the envier looses joy. An envious person does not force himself to meet the standard of another, but forces another to meet their own standard. I have always thought envy and jealousy are synonymous, but, in fact, they are different. Jealousy, as a sin, is a feeling a hatred towards someone who wants to take what is "rightfully their own". That is why jealousy is not a sin God can commit. What He wants from us, our utmost respect and worship, is what He actually does rightfully deserve. On the other hand, envy is a feeling of inferiority next to someone else.
Like pride, envy is straight from the devil. Envy, at its darkest, meets hatred. While God is love, Satan is hatred. I find it very frustrating that the reason many get so close to the Devil is due to envy that is triggered by the silliest of things. Even still, I am prone to do the same thing! I envy other girls’ popularity, body type, personality, skin tone, and things of little to no importance. I often go about my day seemingly looking for envy. I am constantly “looking up” at those I walk pass, see on social media, and come in contact with. Envy produces other sins. When I envy someone, I often talk bad about them behind their back. I hide my envy behind a mask of a friendliness. I pretend to enjoy their company, but then wish harm upon them in my head. Envy leads to gossip, lies, and rumors.
When we realize that we are not capable of doing what someone else can do or enjoy what someone else has, envy often pretends that the act or object is not worth doing or having in the first place. For example, if you cannot perform as well as others, you might downplay an activity as a whole, calling it silly and pointless. This results in bitterness, frustration, and hatred masked behind mockery and whining as you attempt to belittle what you cannot achieve.
As you can see, envy comes out in some pretty ugly ways. May the Lord reveal to each of us areas in our hearts that are envying others instead of being happy for others. As girls, envy usually comes out when we compare our looks. Instead of envy, choose gratitude for what God has blessed you with and for what God has blessed others with.
{A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Proverbs 14:30}
{Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
Proverbs 27:4}
❊Question for the Comments❊
What evil has resulted in your life because of an envious heart?
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| The Girl Next Door |
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