Few things rob us of joy more than jealousy. In a social media-driven world few of us can escape the pull towards envy and jealousy. It’s too easy to look around and see what everyone else is doing. Social media is littered with pictures of people having the time of their lives. Unfortunately, we forget that people only post their best stuff on social media. Rarely does anyone post what we would describe as a normal day. It’s usually a picture of someone having their best life now. If aren’t careful we’ll find ourselves playing the comparison game and we always end up losing.
Jealousy is cancerous to our spirits and emotions. If you look carefully at the word jealousy you’ll realize part of the word is lousy. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the word lousy means, “to feel miserably poor or inferior.” That’s what jealousy does to us. It makes us feel lousy.
The answer to jealousy is contentment and gratitude. I’m trying to learn to live a life of gratitude. I’ve discovered it’s a choice I get to make. Scripture speaks to the idea of contentment on several occasions:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26)
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)
The key to breaking the jealousy cycle is expressing gratitude. On your morning commute, I would encourage you to take a few minutes and tell God five things that you’re thankful for. If you journal, I would encourage you to write five gratitude statements expressing what you’re thankful for. As you being to cultivate this habit, you’ll begin to see your attitude and your emotions change. You’ll also break the jealousy cycle in your life.
