envy | considering the word

Pr. 14:30: “A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.”

My confession: Last week I was envious and it almost turned ugly.

I have a good friend who just had a knee replacement in June. She’d been feeling as though her progress was moving slowly; however, last Sunday, she was rocking some hot red cowgirl boots at church.

I knew that the fact that she could wear those boots was a huge moral booster for her! I also knew that if she could comfortably wear those boots, she was WAY better than she knew. I was immediately happy for her! What a victory!

My next thought; however, was envious. Here I am, 6 months out from having broken my shin, and I still can’t wear any “cute” shoes without immediate pain.

The speed at which my thoughts shifted was impressive, but scary. One second I was overwhelmed with joy for my friend, and the next, I was almost eaten up by overwhelming discouragement about my own state of being. I felt depression loom over me and try to block out happiness. I felt the tears threatening to come, the struggle of wanting to feel ‘normal’.

This is all true. During a 15-20 second conversation, all these things really happened.

Then, I remembered that my hope is in the Lord. No matter the situation of my life, God’s plans for my life are for good. When I trust in Him, I will be safe.

I gave my friend a celebratory hug, and walked away rejoicing for her. Those thoughts tried to sneak back up on me a couple of times during the week, but I refused to indulge them. God has different plans for my friend than He does for me.

No matter if I can never wear what I consider “cute” shoes again, I am here to do the work that He has planned for me. Perhaps that work requires a slower pace and a more comfortable shoe.

Our hearts can be sound by trusting in Him. We don’t need to trust in situations, things we ‘see’ with our natural eyes, or in comparing ourselves with others. God is the foundation on which we build something that’s sound, and won’t rot our bones.

Rocking my cutest comfy shoes,

jamie

You’ve heard that pride comes before the fall. In my reading today I saw more than one example of this. In Ps. 73, Asaph is confessing how he began envying sinners. “Pride served as their necklace,” he said. They were successful, prosperous, glamorous. He was thinking that if they have it so easy and have such abundance, then surely he had cleansed his heart in vain, giving His life over to God.

Then, however, he went into the sanctuary of God and understood their end. God’s Word is true, and those who trust in the lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life are trusting in the world and not in the Father. “This world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:17. Surely they will receive their reward.

Likewise, in Pr. 9:13-18 there is a foolish and prideful woman who is so bold in her pride that she sits at the highest place of the city calling out to those who pass, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” Isn’t this just was sin and lust do? They are bold, crying out to us that they are pleasant…just as they did to Asaph.

Asaph questioned if it would just be better to give in, act like the world, turn His back on His suffering for Christ. For every man who gave into the clamorous woman; however, we are told, “he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of hell.” That is the truth of giving in to sin. It may seem pleasant, it may sound delightful, it may even promise wonderful things, but the truth is that it leads to hell.

Asaph, upon realizing this same truth, said, “For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.”

Serving and trusting in the Lord means we are submitting our lives to the One about which Asaph said, “You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” We have a great reward awaiting us. Lusts and pride of this world tempts us to give in, but we must remember that its end is death.

“My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Asaph. “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us–eternal life.” 1 John 2:24-25

Keep trusting in God,

jamie