You're (not) Jealous...are YOU?

"And David was prospering in all his ways for the Lord was with him.

BUT when Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded him."

I Samuel 18:14-15

Jealously has been around since the first people walked the earth.  It was ugly then, and it remains ugly to this very day. A jealous person reminds me of that carnivorous-never ending-always hungry- plant in "The Little Shop of Horror's.

I love the Bible because it deals with everything under the sun.  And in the verse above, we read that Saul was jealous of David because David was prospering.  You want to know something?  The Bible teaches that "every good thing comes from above."  This should put the breaks on your jealousy right away.  The reason is because once you understand and acknowledge that God is the giver of all good things, it should change your perspective on whether or not you should be a jealous person at all.  I mean, what are you really jealous of anyway? God's blessings on another person?  Sheesh. 

I would like to get practical for a moment.
Since jealousy is so damaging, and is never really satisfied, below I will share 4 helpful tips in giving you victory over your it.


1) Are you personally insecure? Insecurity breeds jealousy -plain and simple. Often times, we base our security on the opinion, affirmation, or acceptance of other people. When we feel rejected or unloved, we become dangerously insecure leading us to perceive other people as threats to our own well being.  If this is the case, take a step back and realize that you are reading into things too much.  I have come to understand that in life, most people have pretty good intentions, so give people the benefit of the doubt. 

2) Are you a fearful person?  This can be another instigator of jealousy. A life lived out of fear is devastating to a relationship. Have you ever noticed that a fearful person is very controlling? At this point, I would encourage you to look inward.  Your fears most likely will never come true.  People usually fear the worst and the worst really never happens.  I tell people that there is nothing we can hang on to that is worth what we are giving up. Meaning, when we give God free reign in &over our lives, God's peace will flood out your fears.

3) Do you practice deception? Deception can also play a role in cultivating jealousy in your heart. The reason is because you may perceive a threat that in reality does not really exist. I know people that are so overwhelmed with deceit, that they lose all trust and read into everything a person does.  Due to their inward deceit, they see deception everywhere.  This person's perception of life is distorted due to the lies they believe about others.  This is truly a sad way to live your life.

4) Are you the covetousness type? This is a deep desire that starts within the heart. This leads to aggressive jealousy that is often spoken against in the Bible. The Ten Commandments address this issue: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:17). Covetousness invades when you are not satisfied with the blessings God has bestowed upon you. This was Saul's problem.  He was so jealous of David, so enthralled by someone else's life, that He forgot to turn his gaze toward the heavens and see that it was God Himself that was blessing David. Furthermore, Saul forgot that he himself was blessed richly as King of Israel.

Conclusion.  William Penn said, "The jealous are troublesome to others, but are a torment to themselves." Remember, jealousy not only hurts you, but it hurts those around you as well.  It is a relationship killer. It is a never-ending thirst that Gatorade cannot even quenche.  Only a proper taste of God's goodness will satisfy the human heart and dissipate the unhealthy disease of jealousy.

*I would like to thank   www.allaboutlifechallenges.org for their informative website.