Wednesday's Word: Envy

A heart at peace gives life to the body,

but envy rots the bones.

Proverbs 14:30

Being a visual person means that I take a risk each time I do a bit of research online. The images that pop up stay with me long after I’ve viewed them. I wanted to learn about what causes bone to rot. I saw a few pictures I’d like to forget.

I read about an infection in the bones that is caused by an open wound. I read about how poor blood supply can cause death to the bones. That’s what envy does to our spiritual bones.

Envy:

the feeling of discontent and ill will brought about by another person’s advantages, possessions, or a resentful dislike of another person who has something that you desire.

I used to think that envy and jealousy were the same thing but there is a difference between the two.

Jealousy:

the feeling of anger or bitterness that someone has when they think that another person is trying to take someone or something away from them.

Jealousy is when you think someone is trying to take someone away from you but envy is when you want something someone else has.

I have to confess that I struggle with envy. Social media fuels the fire for me. I see a photo or read a post and I wonder "why not me?" "Why do they get to do that, have that, go there?" and the questions in my head rage on and on. I block out the life that God has for me when I feel sorry for myself or complain about my circumstances in life. But, envy is not a circumstance problem. Envy is an attitude problem. And even more serious, envy is a sin problem.

It’s not the feeling of envy that is a sin. It’s the action of continually begrudging what someone else does or wanting what they have that makes it a sin.

As I recover from envy I have found that there are some things that are very helpful in moving me away from being caught up in envy and moving toward spiritual health.

Begin by taking every thought captive and making them obedient to Christ.

Identify the open wound.

Find someone to talk to about what is causing you to feel so envious. Is it one specific person? Is it something that you’ve always wanted to do? Pray about the root of the problem and let the Holy Spirit work in you to clean the wound so it can heal.

Identify the source of poor blood supply.  

Are you afraid that God has a limited number of blessings and that there is not enough to go around? God only has your name on the blessings that are for you! If you obsess over what someone else has you will miss out on the treasure that God wants to pour out over your life.

Find the Source of Peace.

Rest in God’s arms. A heart at peace gives life. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

We don’t have to be troubled or live with the fear of missing out. God has provided peace for us. God’s storehouse of blessings will never run out for His children. Trust Him to provide for you. He never fails!

How do you cope with envy? Let me know in the comments!

May He Equip You

May He equip you with all you need for doing His will.

May He produce in you through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him.

All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.

Hebrews 13:21 NLT

“May He equip you...” Paul prays. As I read over these words I change them to make a prayer of my own. “Lord, Equip Me!” I cry out to Him. “I can’t do this without You!” Tears flow down my cheeks as I continue on in prayer. He gently reminds me that He already has and He will continue to do so.

I try to take in His words without talking back. Do you talk back to God? Maybe it’s just me! I want to say, “But, God You told me that before. And yet, I still feel so ill equipped. When are you going to help me?”

Each day I feel as though I am in a constant state of learning new things. And I’m never quite sure if I’m doing the right thing. So much of life that comes our way is new territory. As a new wife, a new mom, a new employee, a new student, we have to face up to doing things we have never done before. We have to learn.

Before being interviewed on a radio program yesterday I mentioned that I was nervous. The words, “Radio always intimidates me” sting my ears as I re-read them now. Another belief that keeps me stuck and feeling ill equipped. Yesterday was not my first interview and I’m sure it won’t be the last. As a recording artist, part of promoting my music means I have to put myself in the public eye. I have to speak up and give people a reason to listen to what God has laid on my heart through song. Each experience equips me for the next one. Ah, there it is. He has answered my prayer!

Equip means ‘to supply’. Equip means ‘to prepare’.

He supplies our needs in His timing. He prepares us for what comes next with each experience. It doesn’t always come at once. That would be too overwhelming to take in.

My brother John has the perfect radio voice. He worked at a radio station for most of his life. He’s a natural! He started off as a DJ, and whether it was a house party, or on the campus of the local university, or at the roller skating rink he was letting the words flow and keeping everyone happy and dancing and in a good mood. Before he ever hit the airwaves he was a master on the microphone. One day, when I was around 16 years old, I had to take a meal to him at the station he was working at. He mentioned my name on the air and started a conversation with me. With a nervous giggle I managed to say, “you’re welcome”. And got out of there as fast as I could. That was the day the belief formed in me that I can’t handle radio. I knew I could never do it as naturally as he does. I need God’s gentle reminders that I’m not an awkward 16 year old anymore. And that I’m capable of learning to do things that don’t come naturally. God quips us in order to produce in us every good thing that is pleasing to Him.

Click to Tweet: God equips us in order to produce in us every good thing that is pleasing to Him. @alidasharpmusic 

It pleases Him for us to give Him glory. It pleases Him when we trust in His plans. It pleases Him when we let go of self and move forward with the task we’ve been given to do. It pleases Him when we do not despise the small increments of growth we endure as we get started. He rejoices, it says in Zechariah 4:10, to see the work begin.

Over the years my brother’s DJ voice grew from one people listened to with excitement at a party to one that people listened to for information and took comfort in during a storm. God’s equipping is not a magic wand waved over our heads. It is forged in the trenches as we dig through the dailiness of the task He set before us. He calls us and He equips us for His glory and for our transformation. May each of us relax, take a step back from striving, and let His work begin in us.   

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Wednesday's Word

Do you have a favorite word? Or a word that you tend to use more than others. My word is 'awesome'. I think I use it at least 10 times a day. My husband, children, and grandchildren of course, are awesome. The cinnamon rolls I make are awesome, a friend tells me what happened to her and that’s awesome, I see a video or read I book and then describe those things as awesome.

• Awesome: extremely impressive or daunting;
• inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear.
• 
  

As I was going through Psalms I came across this passage in Psalm 47:2 "For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth."

As I read I smile when I notice my favorite word! The Lord Most High is indeed totally awesome. I can say that, sing that, and pray that without fear that I’m using the word incorrectly.

God is AWESOME!

God speaks to us in words that can profoundly touch the heart. Stop and listen to His word for you. Pray, read, meditate, and hear what word God lays on your heart this week. Perhaps it’s one that you use all the time but you just need for Him to unveil it in a different way. And He will do that for you, because that’s just how awesome He is!

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