Have you been comparing yourself with others? Watch out! Jealousy is usually lurking close by
THE STRUGGLE WITH JEALOUSY
1 Samuel 18:5-16 (KJV)
5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.
7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.
11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him.
15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.
We all have expectations, desires, and hopes for our lives, but our plan isn’t always God’s best. And what we see others experiencing may not be what He has in store for us. When you compare yourself with others, watch out! Jealousy is usually lurking close by.
Consider Saul. Appointed by the Lord to be Israel’s first king, Saul was given power and godly success. But when he heard women praising David for his great victory over Goliath, he became envious and suspicious. Saul began to fear losing the kingdom; eventually, his own jealousy led to loss of relationships, position, and power.
This may seem like an extreme example. And yet, if we honestly examine ourselves, we will likely find that envy is hiding somewhere in our hearts. Try this simple test: Ask yourself, Is there anyone whose material, physical, or relational success causes me to feel displeasure, discomfort, or anxiety?
Most often, insecurity, selfishness, or pride is behind a jealous mindset. In fact, all three are evident in the life of Saul. He was scared that he would be outdone and overtaken, he didn’t want to share the glory with David, and he was insulted that a mere shepherd boy would perform better than a king.
The fallacy of envy is that we can never view the entire picture in someone else’s life. Only God sees beneath the surface of our lives. Our eyes should focus on our own walk with the Lord. He created each of us differently, and His plan for every individual’s life is unique.
In Touch Ministries.
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