“There is in each of us an envy; O how hard a matter it is to rejoice in the gifts, graces, and labours of others, and be content in circumstances, when God casts us by as unworthy, and uses others to glorify his name! We are troubled if others glorify God and not us or more than us, or if they are more holy, more useful, or more serious…We should be content to be abased and obscure provided Christ is honored and exalted.” – Thomas Manton
At times I envy others more gifted than me. I’ve envied pastors who are more “successful” or can preach better than me. I’ve been jealous of other song writers. This is sick. It reveals a fundamental defect in my motives – I’m living for my glory, not God’s. If all I cared about was the glory of Christ I would rejoice when he gifts others or uses them in greater ways than me.
Do you ever struggle with spiritual envy? How do you fight it?
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Mark,
"Do you ever struggle with spiritual envy?"
Yeah, but many times I'm not even aware of it. When other Christians confess this kind of thing, that helps me to see mine (so thanks).
"How do you fight it?"
Remembering God's sovereignty in dispensing gifts – 1 Cor 12:4,11 – Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit… 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
Bob
Hey Bob,
Meditating on God's sovereignty is such a wonderful antidote to so many of our temptations. In God's sovereignty and wisdom and love, I'm sure he gifts us all differently for a more full display of his glory. How I need to regularly bow before his sovereignty!
Hey Mark, if it makes you feel better, we are doing another Altrogge song this Sunday. But then, it could be that we are doing Altrogge songs because we are not quite good enough to be doing Getty songs.
Seriously, I’d love to trade gifts with you, but there is that whole the wind blows where it wishes thing and it seems to know best.
Man, those Gettys are gifted! Hey, how do I know you're not doing a Stephen Altrogge song? You are so right…God knows best. I'm sure if I had some people's gifts, my pride would be even worse than it is…thanks for commenting.
We have both Altrogge's in our rotation, so you don't! We are working on some Getty's Awaking the Dawn stuff as well as a couple of Sons and Daughters songs. I praise God for good modern songs. Thanks for the envy thoughts, it's always good to keep it in check … or at least try.
Hey Jack…only by God's grace can we even start to keep it in check. Thanks again!
It helps me to remember that serving him in any way is a priviledge, and is better than I deserve. How can be envious when I see my gifts as gifts of grace, the smallest of which i dont deserve in the first place
jns – excellent! So great to remember that I don't deserve ANY gifts at all. None of us do. Great reminder.
I probably would totally struggle with this if I had someone to envy.
I've definitely struggled with envy. It seems to flow from a wrong understanding of God, and my place in His world. Come to think of it, that flowed perspective is probably common to much of the sin in my life.
Hey David,
That is very insightful. I would agree, most of our sins probably can be traced back to a wrong view or understanding of God and us in relation to him. I think that started back with Eve… When I envy others’ gifts, I’m saying in essence that God didn’t know what he was doing in giving them those gifts and me different ones. Thanks!
Hey Dave,
Good insight – most of our sins probably flow from a wrong view of God – I think this all started with Eve. When I'm envious of others' gifts I'm saying God doesn't know what he's doing. Thanks!
I think for the most part, all my envy is spiritual envy. That's the blessing and curse of growing up in the church. Most of the things I want most don't seem necessarily bad – it's just a matter of motivation and why I want them.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Hey Marshall,
You hit the nail on the head – spiritual gifts are good – but it's the motivation of our hearts that matters to God.
Mark,
I know this post was secretly about me, and you don't need to envy my song-writing ability. I think you have potential…keep working at it, maybe one day your songs will be on par with mine.
-Josh Brown
Hey Josh,
I will keep trying but I know I can never equal some of your hits, like Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, and I Feel Good. And I'll never be able to scream like you either.
I find it ironic that I am quick to take credit when something goes well and quick to shift blame when something fails. [It's sick!] If a success happens, I try to imagine if it had been a failure…and if I would take credit then…
Hey Drew,
It's amazing how devious our hearts are, isn't it? How easy it is for us to "take credit" for any success (which only comes from the Lord). I really like Is 26.12 "O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works." If only I could remember that anything good that happens through me is only because the Lord does it. Thanks for your comment!