207. Seven Ways To Overcome Envy

[00:00:09] Friends, welcome to another episode of Making Disciples. My name is Cris and I am your host.

[00:00:15] Thank you for spending this time with me as we continue on our discipleship journey together.

[00:00:21] I hope you're doing alright. I hope that life is treating you well and I hope that I think this is going to go out on

[00:00:29] bank holiday weekend, frith and may or something like that I think.

[00:00:34] So I'm hoping that if you're listening to this in the day that it drops, you may be on a bank holiday.

[00:00:40] So I hope it's a blessing for you. If you listen to this out of complete order, what fun and chaos.

[00:00:46] But I hope that you are enjoying your day anyway.

[00:00:51] Yeah, my name is Cris and we have been having some fun recently answering listeners questions and

[00:01:00] some of the things that you guys ask are just so brilliant. They're such great questions.

[00:01:08] And they're genuine questions where you're struggling with a particular situation and a particular issue.

[00:01:16] And the question that I'm going to just take a look at today and try to explore is one really around envy.

[00:01:24] In the episode really, I'm going to title it something like Seven Ways to Overcome Envy.

[00:01:30] But there's a specific question behind the topic of envenus here today that I hope to explore, particularly around being happy for a sibling.

[00:01:40] And so I hope that this will actually be useful in the everyday for you by actually turning it into seven ways to overcome envy.

[00:01:50] So we're going to jump in a couple of things. Do keep time people about the podcast.

[00:01:54] That's how people find out about it is through word of mouth. If you haven't supported us yet by buying as a coffee, you might want to do that.

[00:02:01] It's just one of the ways of supporting us and the podcast in paying for a coffee.

[00:02:06] So as we record these episodes, we have a couple of coffees out with us. You might have paid for so a massive thank you to those that have done that.

[00:02:13] So we're going to jump in as we talk today about Seven Ways to Overcome Envy.

[00:02:28] So here we go. So here's a question from a listener. I'm not going to give their name because that wouldn't be particularly helpful.

[00:02:34] The question just said this, Hi Chris. I love the podcast. Thank you for doing this.

[00:02:39] And then it says I am struggling with envy. I look at my sister and see she has everything I want in life.

[00:02:47] She is married with kids. She has the house and the car. How do I become less envious of her?

[00:02:55] And that's a great question. Thank you so much for sending that in because I think you've got a bunch of things going on there, haven't you?

[00:03:02] In that yes, this is a question about envy and how we deal with envy. That's what I want to particularly attack today.

[00:03:07] But there is stuff in here about sibling rivalry. There's stuff in here about wanting to be married and maybe not.

[00:03:17] And the listener doesn't say if they've been married and divorced or if they've not been married or it doesn't say anything about that.

[00:03:26] I neither do I know how old they are. But yeah, my sister is married with kids. She has the house and the car. How do I become less envious?

[00:03:35] And there is the thing here isn't there when your life does not pan out the way that you are wanting it to pan out.

[00:03:40] We all have hopes and dreams, don't we? That our life might look like something and then when it doesn't look like that.

[00:03:47] And either we don't get married, we don't find that person or maybe you think you find the person and it turns out not to be the person

[00:03:56] and then the relationship ends and there's all the hopes and dreams and there's grief all wrapped up in there as well.

[00:04:01] So this is not just a question really about envy because it does entail grief. It does entail hopes and dreams when your life doesn't pan out the way that it pans out.

[00:04:12] You know, you want it to pan out. I ask there's a lot going on in here and it may not just be that your sister is married with kids

[00:04:21] and has the house and the car. It may well be that you've got a close friend who you just look at their life and they're doing the things that you have hoped to do in your life

[00:04:31] and that you're not doing it. You've not got the opportunity to do the things that they're doing.

[00:04:37] And actually there is grief wrapped up in there. It's not just envy, it is grief.

[00:04:43] Now I'm going to approach this as a pure envy question but I just wanted to kind of set it up as you have to be really careful that there are times when we look at maybe a sibling or a friend

[00:04:56] and we just wish we had what they got. And it isn't deeply envious, it's just that they are living the kind of life like they're married.

[00:05:06] They've got children and it may well be that somebody's married and can't have kids.

[00:05:11] So there's envy in the sense that they've got children and I don't have children.

[00:05:16] But I think we have to be really careful with that because there's a deep grief wrapped up there that I think we just need to be aware of

[00:05:23] that envy doesn't have to purely be in terms of a negative, you know, that's a bad thing. Envy is a bad thing.

[00:05:32] Because actually there are times when life is just not fair in the unfairness. It is unfair and you know we have these longings for our lives

[00:05:41] and we need to approach them that way. And if that is you I would definitely say get a friend around you to support you and to speak into your life

[00:05:50] because it may not purely be an envy issue. There are dreams that you have not seen fulfilled and you may need somebody to speak into that.

[00:06:03] I'd love you in that place because sometimes we just need a love, you know, we need loving don't we?

[00:06:09] And it's not just a case of I don't have something I want actually there's something that we need healing on.

[00:06:14] So I want to encourage you get that healing surround yourself with people that can speak into that as well.

[00:06:20] But I do want to approach this in terms of envy because that's how the listener has kind of set it up.

[00:06:26] So you know what is envy? Let's talk about that for a moment. Envy is this deep desire over maybe something that somebody else has

[00:06:39] that you do not have and it drifts into a sense of our hearts just getting rotten through this desire that's not being fulfilled.

[00:06:51] So it's a deep desire in our hearts that we want what that person has got.

[00:06:57] And the thing about envy is true envy will lead you to do things that you would never do to acquire what you do not have

[00:07:07] because you want it so bad. So envy will ultimately lead you to a place of destruction

[00:07:13] because envy will lead you to take something or to do something to acquire what you do not have.

[00:07:19] You'll do things that you would never dreamt of to acquire the thing that you do not have.

[00:07:24] So envy is a desire. It also has an effect on us becoming resentful of others

[00:07:32] and it turns positive relationships into toxic ones because we start to behave towards others with deep resentment

[00:07:43] and we become bitter towards them. And it can then lead us to a place where we just cannot be happy for somebody else

[00:07:52] and I've experienced this before and I've shared this on the podcast before

[00:07:56] where we've had situations where someone maybe at church has had some really good news.

[00:08:02] They've really got the job that they were hoping for.

[00:08:06] The one example that we have which really stood out for me was when somebody got engaged

[00:08:11] and we just wanted to celebrate with them that they got engaged

[00:08:15] and we knew that they'd been really wanting to get engaged for a long time

[00:08:19] and we'd been hoping and dreaming for them. They not had a relationship

[00:08:23] and they were hitting that point in life where you think gosh, are they getting engaged?

[00:08:32] It was like wow there's such good news. We knew that was positive for that person.

[00:08:37] They were just over the moon and there was another person that came to me

[00:08:40] and they were just so upset that we'd chosen to whoop and cheer for this engagement

[00:08:44] because they themselves weren't engaged and the fact that we'd whooped for this individual that got engaged

[00:08:50] made this other person feel like their singleness was not okay

[00:08:54] and it's like no that's not what we were doing.

[00:08:57] And Envik can lead us to a place where we cannot be happy for somebody else

[00:09:01] because we are so resentful of that thing

[00:09:05] and that really hurt when I experienced this person's hurt really

[00:09:10] because that's where it was coming from.

[00:09:12] I just thought oh gosh, I'm sad that you're in such a place

[00:09:16] that you just can't be happy for someone else who's got a good thing going on for them.

[00:09:20] The truth was friends, that individual that was full of resentment

[00:09:24] they had so many good things happening in their lives.

[00:09:26] They had such good friendships. They had a great job

[00:09:30] but they had a wonderful home. They had their health and friendships

[00:09:33] and you just thought wow you've got so much going on for you

[00:09:36] but they were so bitter in this area, so resentful.

[00:09:39] So Envy, what is the heart of Envy? What's the crux of Envy?

[00:09:45] I think it's this sense that people have when we get to the place where we feel like

[00:09:50] we ought to have something that somebody else has got.

[00:09:53] I ought to have that. It's my right to have that thing

[00:09:56] and this leads us to Envy.

[00:09:58] So you could say that the heart behind it is just a self-centeredness

[00:10:03] where we are so focused in on ourselves

[00:10:06] we cannot enjoy what somebody else may have,

[00:10:10] a good thing that they are experiencing.

[00:10:14] I had a really fun, just a funny illustration of this self-centeredness

[00:10:18] not being able to enjoy what somebody else has experienced.

[00:10:22] I recently had a friend who, I'm a Ghostbusters fan

[00:10:28] and this friend is a big Ghostbusters fan

[00:10:31] and this Ghostbusters fan, friend of mine, got the chance to be in the last Ghostbusters film

[00:10:38] that's just come out Frozen Empire

[00:10:40] and they didn't tell anybody, I didn't know that they'd been off to film in this

[00:10:43] but they were in one of the final scenes of the movie

[00:10:46] and I spoke to this guy before the film came out

[00:10:49] and he said, look, I'm in the final scene of the film

[00:10:52] and I was like, oh mate, that is so exciting.

[00:10:54] I'm so chuffed for you.

[00:10:56] I'm so excited for you that you're in the film

[00:10:59] because I can't think of a better guy to have that joy in their life

[00:11:05] to be in this new Ghostbusters film.

[00:11:07] I said, I'm glad you're responding like that Chris

[00:11:09] because would you mind not mentioning it to anybody

[00:11:12] because I've got this mutual friend of ours

[00:11:15] and they said, they're not going to see it like that

[00:11:18] and he's going to be very bitter

[00:11:20] and actually when it came out that my friend was in the film

[00:11:23] I said, isn't it great that they're in the film

[00:11:25] and this person was so bitter

[00:11:27] and it's not as big a deal as they're making it out to be

[00:11:31] and it wasn't that great.

[00:11:33] They were literally only on the screen for a few seconds.

[00:11:35] I was like mate, I think it's pretty awesome.

[00:11:38] So just an example of where we can be so caught up with ourselves

[00:11:41] we cannot enjoy what somebody else has got

[00:11:44] which leads to this deep sense of resentment.

[00:11:46] It's envy ultimately is about not being content with ourselves

[00:11:51] and who we are that we want to be

[00:11:53] and live the life of somebody else.

[00:11:55] It may not be the full life of somebody else

[00:11:57] but there's elements of their life that we wish we were living

[00:12:00] and that is the heart of resentment

[00:12:02] where we cannot be content with ourselves.

[00:12:06] So with that said, seven ways to overcome envy

[00:12:11] and I'm going to fly through these

[00:12:12] these are just some thoughts I want to share with you.

[00:12:14] Number one, I think to overcome envy

[00:12:16] we have to focus on gratitude

[00:12:19] being grateful for what we have

[00:12:22] and Paul talks about this in Philippians 4, 11 to 13

[00:12:25] he says this, I'm not saying this because I'm in need

[00:12:28] but I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances

[00:12:32] I know what it is to be in need

[00:12:35] I know what it is to have plenty

[00:12:37] I've learned the secret of being content

[00:12:40] I've learned the secret of being content

[00:12:42] in any and every situation

[00:12:45] whether well fed or hungry

[00:12:47] whether living in plenty or in want

[00:12:49] I can do all things through him that gives me strength.

[00:12:53] So what does he say here?

[00:12:55] I think there are two things he's saying here about gratitude

[00:12:58] he says, you know

[00:13:00] he says I've learnt to be content whatever the circumstances

[00:13:03] it's through gratitude that Paul is content

[00:13:06] it's gratitude what he has

[00:13:09] and then he says in verse 13

[00:13:10] I can do all this through him

[00:13:13] who gives me strength, it's through Jesus

[00:13:15] so gratitude in what we already have

[00:13:17] but gratitude in Jesus

[00:13:19] and I would say that's the primary focus

[00:13:23] you know that if you are somebody who struggles with emery

[00:13:26] be grateful for what you have

[00:13:28] be grateful for what you have

[00:13:30] in terms of life, health

[00:13:33] friendships

[00:13:36] I know people who have told me the past

[00:13:39] they are so resentful because they don't have the friendships

[00:13:43] that other people have got

[00:13:45] I've looked at them and I've gone wow you've got amazing friendships

[00:13:47] being able to see what you have got

[00:13:49] see it and be grateful for it

[00:13:51] not look past it

[00:13:53] but actually look at what is in your own hands

[00:13:55] I'm being grateful for what you have in Jesus

[00:13:57] so number one, gratitude

[00:13:59] is that how to overcome envy?

[00:14:01] gratitude

[00:14:02] number two, contentment

[00:14:04] I think gratitude will lead to contentment in our lives

[00:14:08] developing contentment

[00:14:11] means overcoming the root cause of envy

[00:14:15] contentment, developing contentment

[00:14:19] will deal with the envy

[00:14:21] when you become happy

[00:14:24] and content with what you have

[00:14:27] friends I think we need to reframe our lives

[00:14:30] around the life of Jesus

[00:14:32] and the call that he has in our life

[00:14:34] Jesus has given you a call in your life

[00:14:37] to be saved by him

[00:14:39] to be loved by him

[00:14:41] to be transformed by him

[00:14:43] and to be people who bring transformation in others

[00:14:46] and knowing who we are in Jesus

[00:14:48] that we are adopted sons and daughters

[00:14:50] that we have everything that we need in Christ

[00:14:54] that will lead us to contentment

[00:14:57] so being grateful for who we are in Jesus

[00:14:59] grateful for what we have in Jesus

[00:15:01] and what he has called us to

[00:15:03] that will lead us to a place of being content with Christ

[00:15:06] so gratitude leading to contentment

[00:15:09] and friends we find this contentment only in Jesus Christ

[00:15:13] so let me read this

[00:15:15] Philippians 4

[00:15:17] 11-13

[00:15:19] it says

[00:15:49] it's through Jesus that gives us strength

[00:15:51] not all the things that we have around us

[00:15:53] not all the things we are hoping for and dreaming for

[00:15:55] you might get every hope and dream in your life

[00:15:57] but you will still not be content if you don't have Jesus

[00:16:00] contentment found in him

[00:16:02] so 7 ways to overcome envy

[00:16:04] 1. Gratitude

[00:16:06] 2. Contentment

[00:16:08] 3. Through love and compassion

[00:16:11] what does Jesus say

[00:16:14] is the greatest commandment

[00:16:16] the Lord has got all your heart, soul, mind

[00:16:18] and then he says in Matthew 22 39

[00:16:21] he tags this on

[00:16:23] and love your neighbour as yourself

[00:16:26] love and compassion for others

[00:16:30] will lead you to a place of overcoming envy

[00:16:34] because when you have love and compassion

[00:16:37] for your neighbour

[00:16:39] then you no longer have envy towards your neighbour

[00:16:42] do you know how envious of what they have

[00:16:44] and what they possess

[00:16:46] and what they have chosen to love them

[00:16:48] to love your neighbour

[00:16:50] friends we have to embrace what the Bible says about

[00:16:52] love and compassion

[00:16:54] instead of resenting others

[00:16:56] the Bible leads us

[00:16:58] to love and compassion

[00:17:00] as a way of life

[00:17:02] so if you have a sister

[00:17:04] that is married

[00:17:06] with kids, they've got the house

[00:17:08] and they've got the car

[00:17:10] by choosing to love them

[00:17:12] and have compassion towards them

[00:17:14] changing your internals

[00:17:16] towards that person

[00:17:18] friends that will lead you

[00:17:20] to a place where you're not envious of them

[00:17:22] because you're deeply loving them

[00:17:24] you love what they've got

[00:17:26] you love what they have

[00:17:28] and that you have compassion on them

[00:17:30] in that place

[00:17:32] then you'll also then have compassion on yourself

[00:17:34] and you are not going to be

[00:17:36] filled full of that same envy

[00:17:38] so loving somebody else

[00:17:40] and having compassion towards them

[00:17:42] will shift you away from envying

[00:17:44] to a heart of joy

[00:17:46] towards them

[00:17:48] when you love somebody else

[00:17:50] in loving somebody else

[00:17:52] your heart is filled with joy towards them

[00:17:54] and in that love

[00:17:56] you therefore are not envious of what they have

[00:17:58] because you are happy

[00:18:00] that they have it

[00:18:02] you're so glad that they have it

[00:18:04] so with my friend who's in that new ghost world

[00:18:06] silly illustration isn't it

[00:18:08] but loving him

[00:18:10] excited for him

[00:18:12] in the good thing that he has got

[00:18:14] I don't end up looking at him going wow

[00:18:16] I'm envious because I don't have that

[00:18:18] I'm looking at him going I'm glad you've got that

[00:18:20] because I love you and I know what

[00:18:22] joy that brings you

[00:18:24] and because that brings you joy it's bringing me joy

[00:18:26] to see the joy in your life

[00:18:28] so when we have love for somebody else

[00:18:30] we end up shifting our self-centeredness

[00:18:32] we're not focusing on ourselves we're now focusing on

[00:18:34] them

[00:18:36] putting them at the centre of our lives

[00:18:38] we've got to be happy

[00:18:40] we've got to be in the mood

[00:18:42] contentment

[00:18:44] love and compassion

[00:18:46] I think in this love and compassion I want to say this

[00:18:48] friends we have to put relationships

[00:18:50] before our possessions

[00:18:52] you'll be envious of someone

[00:18:54] when you turn their life

[00:18:56] into a collection of possessions

[00:18:58] they've got something I do not have

[00:19:00] and you shift it from possessions

[00:19:02] to actual relationships

[00:19:04] loving the person

[00:19:06] shifting and putting relationships before possessions

[00:19:09] will shift envy in your life

[00:19:11] you'll stop wanting what they've got

[00:19:13] because you are excited for what they've got

[00:19:15] because you're now in relationship with them

[00:19:18] and I want to talk about

[00:19:20] 3 more things

[00:19:22] number 4

[00:19:24] focus on spiritual growth

[00:19:26] if you are focusing

[00:19:28] on what everybody else has got

[00:19:30] putting them at your attention

[00:19:32] allowing that to make you bitter

[00:19:34] you are not going to grow spiritually

[00:19:36] in fact you're going to wither

[00:19:38] you're going to shrink

[00:19:40] you're going to be unhealthy

[00:19:42] in your internals

[00:19:44] but when we focus on

[00:19:46] spiritual growth

[00:19:48] we end up seeing

[00:19:50] fruitfulness in our lives

[00:19:52] and where there's fruitfulness

[00:19:54] they will not be envy

[00:19:56] because you are becoming content with

[00:19:58] what Christ is doing inside of you

[00:20:00] so what does it say in Matthew 633

[00:20:02] it says this

[00:20:04] but seek first his kingdom

[00:20:06] and his righteousness and all things

[00:20:08] will be given to you as well

[00:20:10] seek first the kingdom

[00:20:12] friends if you are seeking first

[00:20:14] what others have got

[00:20:16] if your heart is seeking

[00:20:18] first

[00:20:20] what a sibling has

[00:20:22] or what a work colleague has

[00:20:24] or what a neighbour has

[00:20:26] you're seeking what they've got

[00:20:28] it will always lead to envy

[00:20:30] then it says everything will be given to you

[00:20:32] because I don't think

[00:20:34] it means that you will get everything your heart's desire

[00:20:36] I think what it means is

[00:20:38] your heart's desire will shift

[00:20:40] and actually in that the kingdom has everything

[00:20:42] that you've got

[00:20:44] so seek first the kingdom and his righteousness

[00:20:46] and all things will be given to you as well

[00:20:48] so I know it says there

[00:20:50] as well

[00:20:52] you'll get all things as well

[00:20:54] I don't think that means if you seek God's kingdom

[00:20:56] you will automatically get a partner

[00:20:58] for life that you'll have children

[00:21:00] or you'll have your heart's desire

[00:21:02] I do think though

[00:21:04] that our heart's desire shifts

[00:21:06] towards what's the desire of the kingdom

[00:21:08] and in that we get added

[00:21:10] to everything that we want and what we need

[00:21:12] so

[00:21:14] focus on spiritual growth

[00:21:16] and then number five avoid comparison

[00:21:18] we need to refrain from comparing ourselves

[00:21:20] to others

[00:21:22] your life is your life

[00:21:24] and you have things

[00:21:26] that others do not have

[00:21:28] so avoid comparison

[00:21:30] if you find yourself

[00:21:32] desiring

[00:21:34] what others have

[00:21:36] it will always leave you to be

[00:21:38] envious

[00:21:40] of what they've got that you don't have

[00:21:42] but if you choose to catch yourself

[00:21:44] and say I'm going to avoid

[00:21:46] comparing my life with their life

[00:21:48] because we are different people

[00:21:50] we've got different things in our lives

[00:21:52] we've got different needs

[00:21:54] we've got different desires

[00:21:56] as well as different skills

[00:21:58] different hopes, different dreams

[00:22:00] I'm choosing not to compare myself to them

[00:22:02] because I've got things that I don't have

[00:22:04] so if you choose to avoid comparison

[00:22:06] it will help you overcome

[00:22:08] envy

[00:22:10] so refraining from comparing yourself to others

[00:22:12] your life is your life

[00:22:14] you have things that they don't have

[00:22:16] there's credit to your life

[00:22:18] there's assets in your life

[00:22:20] that others do not have

[00:22:22] so if you see what they've got that you don't have

[00:22:24] you are going to miss the fact

[00:22:26] that you have got things that they don't have

[00:22:28] so avoid comparison

[00:22:30] 6 on how to overcome

[00:22:32] envy would be this

[00:22:34] prayer

[00:22:36] Ephesians 4,6,7

[00:22:38] do not be anxious about anything

[00:22:40] but in every situation by prayer and petition

[00:22:42] with thanksgiving present your request to God

[00:22:44] and the peace of God which transcends all understanding

[00:22:46] will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ

[00:22:48] I think the answer

[00:22:50] here about not being anxious

[00:22:52] not having this

[00:22:54] sense of envy in other people

[00:22:56] is through prayer and petition

[00:22:58] together with

[00:23:00] what we talked about earlier on was gratitude

[00:23:02] and thanksgiving

[00:23:04] presenting to God your needs

[00:23:06] and in this

[00:23:08] the peace of God it says will transcend all understanding

[00:23:10] will guard your heart and your mind

[00:23:12] your heart and your mind is where envy comes in

[00:23:14] your heart where you're

[00:23:16] desiring something

[00:23:18] that somebody else has got your mind

[00:23:20] in not being able to switch that off

[00:23:22] actually in this place of prayer and petition

[00:23:24] and thanksgiving

[00:23:26] in this place you receive peace

[00:23:28] and this peace transcends all

[00:23:30] understanding

[00:23:32] so prayer is one of the antidotes

[00:23:34] to envy because in

[00:23:36] prayer we start to redefine

[00:23:38] what we need

[00:23:40] we start to redefine what God wants

[00:23:42] for our lives

[00:23:44] and in this we start to receive a peace

[00:23:46] and it transcends any earthly understanding

[00:23:48] where we are anxious

[00:23:50] about

[00:23:52] how our lives will play out

[00:23:54] and that leads to envy that somebody else has got something I don't have

[00:23:56] through prayer and petition

[00:23:58] we receive a peace and that peace transforms us

[00:24:00] and that becomes a guard

[00:24:02] on our hearts so our hearts don't go

[00:24:04] where our hearts

[00:24:06] once went

[00:24:08] so as we're talking friends about

[00:24:10] seven ways to overcome

[00:24:12] envy we talked about gratitude

[00:24:14] contentment

[00:24:16] love and comparison we talked about relationships

[00:24:18] there and possessions

[00:24:20] focusing on the relationship rather than possession

[00:24:22] before we talked about focus on spiritual growth

[00:24:24] avoiding comparison

[00:24:26] prayer you could say prayer and intercession there

[00:24:28] number seven the final one friends

[00:24:30] if you want to guard your

[00:24:32] heart from envy

[00:24:34] if you want to overcome envy

[00:24:36] then number seven would be simply this

[00:24:38] repentance friends

[00:24:40] if you find yourself

[00:24:42] struggling with envy

[00:24:44] then I would say repent

[00:24:46] and seek forgiveness

[00:24:48] confess your struggles

[00:24:50] and ask God to help you in that place

[00:24:52] powerfully by the work of His Holy Spirit

[00:24:54] so yes it's putting things into practice

[00:24:56] like gratitude

[00:24:58] choosing to be content

[00:25:00] choosing to love others

[00:25:02] to focus on your spiritual growth

[00:25:04] rather than your earthly growth

[00:25:06] to avoid that sense of comparison of others

[00:25:08] and then prayer well all of that

[00:25:10] comes together in an act of repentance

[00:25:12] if you want to overcome envy

[00:25:14] we have to repent of the envy

[00:25:16] that is in our heart

[00:25:18] and invite the Holy Spirit to come towards us

[00:25:20] to minister to us and to transform our hearts

[00:25:22] because essentially envy is the

[00:25:24] sickness of the art

[00:25:26] it's the heart that is

[00:25:28] desiring things that you do not have

[00:25:30] it's a heart that is full

[00:25:32] of resentment towards others

[00:25:34] it's a heart that cannot

[00:25:36] be happy

[00:25:38] unless it has what it thinks it needs

[00:25:40] and then actually isn't happy anyway

[00:25:42] so it's a sickness of the heart

[00:25:44] so the ultimate way of dealing

[00:25:46] with this sickness is repentance

[00:25:48] confessing where we have had

[00:25:50] envy

[00:25:52] and inviting the Holy Spirit to come

[00:25:54] and to minister to us and to give us

[00:25:56] a new heart a heart of flesh

[00:25:58] rather than a heart of stone

[00:26:00] because a heart that is filled full

[00:26:02] of envy is a heart of stone

[00:26:04] it's becoming all about itself

[00:26:06] but a heart that is

[00:26:08] filled with the Holy Spirit that's been transformed

[00:26:10] by the life of Jesus

[00:26:12] is a heart that no longer is

[00:26:14] envious but it's soft and compassionate

[00:26:16] it can love others, it can be excited for others

[00:26:18] it can be grateful for what it has got

[00:26:20] it can be content with what it's got

[00:26:22] and it starts to avoid

[00:26:24] comparing itself with others

[00:26:26] so friends seven ways to overcome

[00:26:28] envy

[00:26:30] gratitude, contentment, love

[00:26:32] and compassion

[00:26:34] focusing on spiritual growth

[00:26:36] avoiding comparison

[00:26:38] prayer and intercession

[00:26:40] and then finally repentance

[00:26:42] having a repentant heart

[00:26:44] friends I'd love to invite you

[00:26:46] to examine

[00:26:48] your heart

[00:26:50] and examine

[00:26:52] the root

[00:26:54] of where envy comes from

[00:26:56] in your life

[00:26:58] what is causing it, what's the nature of the envy

[00:27:00] and how is it

[00:27:02] how is it involved with your life

[00:27:04] and work on

[00:27:06] some of those antidotes

[00:27:08] to envy

[00:27:10] and working out how those antidotes

[00:27:12] impact the deep roots of envy

[00:27:14] in your life

[00:27:16] so there you go, struggling with envy

[00:27:18] seven ways to overcome envy

[00:27:20] I hope that's been helpful

[00:27:22] would you add an eighth one?

[00:27:24] Chris I think you missed one there mate

[00:27:26] I really think you should have added this in

[00:27:28] you've not put this in there

[00:27:30] I'd love to encourage you

[00:27:32] if you've got an eighth, put it in the notes

[00:27:34] send me a message, I'd love to hear what you would add in there

[00:27:36] as a way to overcome

[00:27:38] envy

[00:27:40] friends until next time, grace and peace

[00:27:42] and I look forward to spending more time with you

[00:27:44] next time