When we envy to the point of sinning

“It was so hard to leave Timmy at his first day of kindergarten today,” my friend said. “I had to turn my head so he wouldn’t see me cry.”
“You have no idea how much it hurts to be separated from your child!” I snapped.
Due to my (then) constant battle with anorexia nervosa, I was no longer able to care for my small children. I would’ve given anything to have my children return home to me after only a few short hours of school.
Looking back, I still remember the shocked expression on my friend’s face. I regret the way I spoke to her. Unfortunately, this isn’t my only regret from those unbearable years when I felt cheated out of raising my children.
“It’s not fair!” I often raged during that period of my life, erupting with the worst kind of jealousy. It was natural to want my children to be with me, but my emotions were out of control. “Why doesn’t God answer my prayers like He does for others?” I’d scream in my empty apartment.
Have you ever envied so much that your thoughts and actions became an ongoing sin issue?
This week, in our progressive goal of meditating on and obeying 1 Corinthians 13, we’ll focus on overcoming the sin of envy (verse 4): “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy …” (ESV).
Is there something in your life right now that causes you to be envious to the point of sinning? Perhaps a prayer request that seems to go unanswered while others’ requests are granted?
What if, every day for the rest of the Month of Love, each time we catch ourselves feeling jealous or envious, we stopped and thanked God for His love for us, His plan for us, His perfect timing for us? What if we chose to trust our compassionate heavenly Father, knowing He hasn’t forgotten about us, then praised Him for His faithfulness? What if we thanked God for all the times He has blessed us?
Taking another step forward in overcoming sinful envy, in honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s also remember how much God loves the people we envy.
Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, show us how our jealousy looks through Your eyes. Reveal to us how our envious ways hurt You, hurt us, and hurt our relationships. Remind us how much You love the people we envy and to trust Your sovereign plan, not only for ourselves, but for them as well. Fill us so full of Your presence that we’ll no longer be ruled by our emotions but by Your love. Amen.

Sheryl H. Boldt is a sales executive for Wave 94 and author of the blog, TodayCanBeDifferent.net. Connect with her at SherylHBoldt.Wave94@gmail.com.