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THE CONSEQUENCES OF JEALOUSY
“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” PROVERBS 14:30 (ESV)
Envy is spiritual cancer, destroying a person from the inside out.
The consequences of jealousy are grave. King Solomon does not mince words as he warns us of this diagnosis with graphic imagery and directs us instead towards a life of health and peace.
Envy harms us. Even if it does nothing to anyone else, it will still destroy the one who envies. It influences our perception of others. It breeds a destructively critical spirit, leading us to view our neighbors with unwarranted suspicion and anger. It leaves us incapable of being happy for others and undermines any chance of contentment, for there is always someone else with more for us to feel resentful of. Envy makes the bones rot.
Jealousy can invade swiftly and subtly. Take the apostle Peter, for example. Before the crucifixion, he had made a mess of things by denying Christ three times. John records that Jesus made breakfast for Peter and some other disciples on the beach after His resurrection. Jesus spoke with Peter, restoring their relationship, reminding him of His call to Peter to follow Him, and tasking him to shepherd and feed His people. If you had asked Peter what his heart most longed for the day before, it would have been this. But when Jesus added that one day Peter would be called to give his life for his Lord, how did Peter respond? By looking at John and saying, “What about this man?”
Jesus, though fully aware of the dangers of jealousy, replied, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22).
How easy it is, even in moments of great advance, for jealousy to infect us and cause us to forget all that Jesus has done for us and given us! How, then, do we find any kind of cure for this spiritual rottenness?
The last thing we want to do is the first thing we need to do: recognize envy for what it is—sin—and bring it into the light of God’s presence through confession. Then, we must prayerfully reject jealousy, moment by moment, asking the Spirit to enable us to reflect on all we have in Christ until we are gripped not by jealousy but by joy. Those who count their blessings can praise God for the blessings He bestows on others. And a tranquil heart gives life.
Do not let your envy eat away at you unchecked. In what way does it have a hold on you? Confess it, pray about it, and fight it with gospel truth.
- How is God calling me to think differently?
- How is God reordering my heart’s affections—what I love?
- What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
Further Reading: JOHN 21:15-23
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About this Plan
Jealousy is something we all experience—even if we'd rather not. The Bible goes as far as saying that it “makes the bones rot.” So how can we overcome it? In this five-day plan, Alistair Begg teaches us how to turn from jealousy to joy by setting our hearts and minds on something greater than anything the world offers.
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