Is Envy Stealing Your Joy?

Ruth

Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

—1 Peter 2:1

I scrolled mindlessly through my social media feeds. I was just passing time, waiting for my daughter to be done at the dentist. I glanced at pictures of vacations, friends celebrating birthdays, date nights, and a whole lot more. It’s easy to see how quickly envy can invade the heart and steal our joy!

Envy is that sneaky and pesky desire to have what someone else has. It is the desire to possess something that doesn’t rightfully belong to us. Envy can look like sorrow over a door closed to us but open to a friend or coworker. It might be a promotion we didn’t get. Or perhaps we feel disappointment because of what appears to be someone else’s healthier marriage or better-behaved kids.

We can be sure we are wrestling with envy when we notice feelings of anger, resentment, or even competition with others. But God desires for us something so much more. He wants a settled soul—a soul anchored in the goodness and grace of what He has done for us in Christ.

As the writer of Proverbs said, “A heart at peace gives life to the body” (14:30). There is joy and thankfulness with a settled soul. But “envy rots the bones” (v. 30). So how do we have a “heart at peace”? Start by ridding yourself of envy. We’re envious when we always look at what we don’t have, so we can fight it by focusing on what we do have and don’t deserve.

Our joy and contentment isn’t found in our circumstances. It’s not found in how many friends we have or the things we possess. A heart at peace is anchored much more deeply. It is anchored in what God has done for us that we don’t deserve. A heart at peace treasures Christ more than anything else.

Don’t let envy steal your joy. Let the goodness and grace of God settle your soul.

Father, You have given me so much more than what I deserve. Thank You for Your unconditional love, faithfulness, forgiveness, and hope. Guard my heart against envy. Instead, settle my soul by reminding me of all I have in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Where does envy tempt you the most?

How can you begin to be grateful for what you do have and don’t deserve?