A person can become jealous when they spend too much time focusing on what other people have, instead of being thankful for what God has blessed them with. “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.” – James 3:14….Today’s blog entry is titled “Don’t Be Jealous, Be Thankful”….
Jealousy can come in a number of different ways, and if it’s not dealt with properly, it can lead to all sorts of problems. It’s important for us to be secure with who we are in Jesus Christ. We should be focused on pleasing Him, and carrying out His will for our lives. Each of us are unique. God has blessed us with gifts/abilities, and we should use those gifts/abilities the way that He intended for us to use them. It’s ok for us to have people that we look up to and admire, but we should be careful to make sure that we stay on the path that God has us on instead of trying to mimic another person’s life.
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” – Isaiah 26:3
Sometimes one person may be tempted to look at another person’s life and point out certain advantages the other person had. This can lead to one person having thoughts of resentment towards another person. However when we keep our minds focused on God, we can constantly remind ourselves of how great He is, and how great He has been to us. When people constantly compare themselves to other people, they can lose sight of the fact that God has called them to do something different. For example, just picture if a football team watched a basketball game and then tried to go out and mimic everything they saw when they played their next football game. It wouldn’t work. They are two separate sports, with separates sets of rules, and they are designed to be play differently than each other. Likewise if we try to be someone that God has not called us to be, it can lead to a lot of problems.
“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
As Christians, we should be encouraging each other. When God blesses a brother or sister in Christ, we should be happy for them. It’s important to remember that we’re all part of the same body (The Body Of Christ). And if you see people who are not Christians, that seem to be getting ahead in life, remember this verse “ For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” – Mark 8:36. If a person dies without Jesus Christ, they will spend eternity in the lake of fire, and no amount of money they accumulate can change that. With this in mind, we should give the best effort that we can to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. So as we live our lives, let us be thankful for everything God has done for us. Let’s encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ. And let’s continue to spread the Gospel. Remember to show forth Love.
“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” – James 3:16-18
Jealousy can come in a number of different ways, and if it’s not dealt with properly, it can lead to all sorts of problems. It’s important for us to be secure with who we are in Jesus Christ. We should be focused on pleasing Him, and carrying out His will for our lives. Each of us are unique. God has blessed us with gifts/abilities, and we should use those gifts/abilities the way that He intended for us to use them. It’s ok for us to have people that we look up to and admire, but we should be careful to make sure that we stay on the path that God has us on instead of trying to mimic another person’s life.
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” – Isaiah 26:3
Sometimes one person may be tempted to look at another person’s life and point out certain advantages the other person had. This can lead to one person having thoughts of resentment towards another person. However when we keep our minds focused on God, we can constantly remind ourselves of how great He is, and how great He has been to us. When people constantly compare themselves to other people, they can lose sight of the fact that God has called them to do something different. For example, just picture if a football team watched a basketball game and then tried to go out and mimic everything they saw when they played their next football game. It wouldn’t work. They are two separate sports, with separates sets of rules, and they are designed to be play differently than each other. Likewise if we try to be someone that God has not called us to be, it can lead to a lot of problems.
“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
As Christians, we should be encouraging each other. When God blesses a brother or sister in Christ, we should be happy for them. It’s important to remember that we’re all part of the same body (The Body Of Christ). And if you see people who are not Christians, that seem to be getting ahead in life, remember this verse “ For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” – Mark 8:36. If a person dies without Jesus Christ, they will spend eternity in the lake of fire, and no amount of money they accumulate can change that. With this in mind, we should give the best effort that we can to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. So as we live our lives, let us be thankful for everything God has done for us. Let’s encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ. And let’s continue to spread the Gospel. Remember to show forth Love.
“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” – James 3:16-18