Proverbs 14:30
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Ecclesiastes 4:4
And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Proverbs 24:1
Saying 20
Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company.
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
A more thorough description of envy is “a resentful, dissatisfied longing for another’s possessions, position, fortune, achievements, or success.” Envy is the distress or resentment we feel when others have what we have not.
James 3:14–16
“But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
The root of envy is a dissatisfied heart. We experience envy when we cannot have what our heart desires.
I deserve better, Augustine says: I am caved in on myself. I draw everything into myself.
I have become a black hole “Robert Barron”
Opposite is to become radiant
Deep, Dark hole. Tyrant, insatiable
How can my envious proud heart ever be restored?
The most effective way to avoid envy is to trust in the Lord and delight in Him:
“Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.”
Colossians 3:2-4
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Colossians 1 :21-22
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
Prayer of joyful, radiant heart.
Dear God…
My proud heart is my greatest enemy and I don't deserve to enjoy your presence.
I am done with trying to satisfy my heart with earthly things. My heart only wants you.
I don't want my career, marriage, kids, hobbies to be about me. I want them to be tools to enjoy you and love others.
I die to the old me and put my life in your hands trusting you to present me as everything you ever dreamed I would be forever.