1Co 13:4 ¶ Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

Love is Never envious

It is so hard to come to grips with those things that we see in others that we wish we had, or could do, or not do. I know exactly what it is like to have that kind of envy that makes you want to just give up and quit. For me envy is not a positive motivation, but negative deflation. When a ball looses its air it takes so much more effort to try and make it bounce. That is how life is for me when I allow my flesh to grovel in the mire of envy; it takes so much more energy to get the simplest things done.

Where does envy come from?

You know I thought that as I studied envy I was going to get some really deep revelation from the Lord as to where it comes from and you know what He showed me?

Ga 5:21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

You know what this list comes from, it comes from Galatians 5: 19 that records all the works of the flesh. THAT’S RIGHT, THE WORKS OF THE FLESH!!!

Whether I like it or not that was the big revelation that God gave me about envy. It is a work of my flesh. When I allow my flesh to rule in my life I find that it is so much easier for me to fall into envy.  Why?

Ga 5:24 And those [who are] Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

For me to live free from the passions and desires that bring about the natural course of action that my flesh wants to take, this verse says that I must crucify my flesh. Every time I hear some preacher or teacher talk about crucifying my flesh, I struggle to get a full understanding of what they are saying. My natural mind blocks me from really understanding what God is trying to say. Then He reminded me of one simple truth and here it is:

Lu 9:24 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

You might find that to a difficult rather than a simple truth. But when you consider who it is that is speaking, and the life He lived as an example for us, I believe the truth comes into focus. Jesus laid done His life as the ultimate expression of self-less love. He went to that cross even though His flesh wanted to find some other way around the cross. Mt 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You [will].”

Thank God He didn’t give in to the passion and desires of His flesh but said to it and God, “…nevertheless, not as I will, but as You [will].”

The simplicity of realizing that what crucifying my flesh means is saying to my passions and my desires, not as I will, but as God wills. Crucifying is taking the life of my passion and putting them to death with the self-less love that Jesus displayed for the entire world to see. I must willingly take the Grace that empowers me to overcome my fleshly desire to envy.

Eph 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

You see God has provided us the ability and the strength to handle any and every temptation our flesh may try to throw at us. His Grace Is More Than Enough!!!

Have a great Day!