In Touch - March 29, 2007

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2007 Mar 29

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

March 29, 2007 – The Solution to Jealousy – Psalms 37:4-6

Welcome to the In Touch Devotional.

A jealous person complains about what God hasn’t provided and objects to another person’s blessings. Its influence fills our spirit and can’t be hidden for very long.

There are three main causes of jealousy. The first is insecurity. Uncertainty over his position as king led Saul to view David, the giant killer, as competition. A sense of inadequacy can cause jealousy over another person’s success.

The second cause of jealousy is selfishness. Saul resented the crowd’s praise of David for his battlefield successes. We fall into the same trap when we compare our situation to someone else’s. Jealousy can surface when we see a person who has a better marriage, family, job, or financial position.

Finally, pride is the third cause of jealousy. Saul’s ego wouldn’t let him enjoy David’s accomplishment. Pride will make us highly critical of another’s success. Our mouths will speak words to justify our own situation and to belittle the person we envy.

To be free of jealousy, we must do four things. First, we need to confess our emotional state to God and acknowledge His right to bless someone else. Second, we should thank Him for what He’s doing in that person’s life. Third, we need to ask Him to fill our hearts with love for that individual. And, finally, we should ask the Lord to He bless him or her even more.

God will honor our prayer and replace our spirit of jealousy with one of love and thankfulness. To prevent future attacks of envy, we must stay focused on the Lord and what He’s doing through us.

All of us battle with jealousy on occasion. When you recognize this negative attitude, act quickly to get rid of it. Don’t let it damage your relationships and your spiritual health.

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