Are you envious ? (1)

Thursday 25 March 2021

Are you envious ? (1)

“You shall not covet...” Exodus 20.17

God forbids us to be envious because He knows very well that envy can destroy us. But what is envy ? Here are four aspects :

1- It is the desire to obtain what does not suit us, the thirst for power vis-à-vis others, the desire to control everything, to acquire wealth for oneself only, to receive the admiration of others.

2- It is also the desire to get things fair, but for the wrong reasons. For example Paul wrote : “If any one aspires to the office of an elder, he desires a good thing” (1 Timothy 3: 1). Wanting to exert a good influence on others is a legitimate desire, provided that you want to do so for good reasons. If you aspire to such a burden to be recognized and admired by others, you are guilty of envy.

3- It is also the desire to get good things at the wrong time. A young couple can say : “We love each other and we love the Lord. We're committed to living together the rest of our lives and we're getting married in three months, but we want to have sex right away. ” Their desire is envy.

4- It is also the desire to obtain more than what we should receive. When will you be satisfied ? Will you always say : "I wish I had more !" The urge is to always desire to receive beyond your needs, beyond what is necessary for you to accomplish God's purpose for your life. Remember this : you will never be satisfied unless you place your aspirations in God alone. It is only by putting the will of God at the center of your life that you will find the secret to true happiness and lasting happiness.

Source (His Word for Today)