I admit it. I have had to deal with envy often in my career.
On more than one occasion, I found myself feeling envious of people. Envy surfaced when people I knew got promotions while I felt anxious and ready to move up myself. Later in my career, I envied one manager who got an exciting assignment to launch a new product campaign.
Sometimes, I felt envious of people’s good fortune or success in areas that didn’t even overlap mine! I just wanted what they had!
That’s what envy is—the selfish desire for someone else’s gifts, possessions, position, or achievements.
Envy’s Long History
It turns out envy has been around for a long time. There are at least eight examples of envy in the book of Genesis alone.
- Cain envies Abel’s sacrifice being accepted by God (Genesis 4:3-5).
- Sarah envies Hagar when Hagar becomes pregnant (Genesis 16:5-6).
- Philistines envy Isaac’s possessions (Genesis 26:14).
- Esau envies Jacob because of the special blessing his father gave him (Genesis 27:41).
- Rachel envies Leah’s ability to have children (Genesis 30:1).
- Leah envies Rachel when Rachel has children (Genesis 30:15).
- Laban’s sons envy Jacob’s prosperity (Genesis 31:1).
- Joseph’s brothers envy the special treatment their father gave Joseph (Genesis 37:4-11).
Envy raises its ugly head early in the recorded history of man. Dozens of examples of envy litter the pages of Scripture.
The Root Cause of Envy
Looking at the examples in the book of Genesis, we see envy arises over favoritism, having children, possessions, blessings, and prosperity. It seems there is no human condition or emotion exempt.
So, what causes this envy?
Writing to the Galatians, Paul describes envy as a work of the flesh.
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-20).”
And Jesus, teaching the people, said the evil of envy comes from the heart.
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander (Matthew 15:18-19).”
Envy is a work of the flesh that proceeds out of the heart of man in rebellion against God (Romans 1:29).
The Result of Envy
The Bible tells us there are at least three consequences to living a life full of envy.
1. It affects our health.
Envy is a strong emotion that can even harm our health.
“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot (Proverbs 14:30).”
2. It produces evil.
Writing to his young protege, Paul warns Timothy that envy produces controversy, disputes among people, and strife.
“…he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions (1 Timothy 6:4).”
3. It prevents spiritual growth.
Envy, as a work of the flesh, prevents spiritual growth. Therefore, Peter admonishes new believers to avoid works of the flesh that prevent spiritual growth.
“Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord (1 Peter 2:1-3).”
The Cure for Envy
Now that we understand what envy is and what causes it, the question is, how do we deal with it in our own lives?
I don’t think you can avoid envy, but you can recognize and release it while refocusing on God.
Recognize It
The first step in dealing with envy in your life is recognizing it. Envy is a work of the flesh that proceeds out of the heart of man in rebellion against God. So, when you feel the ugliness of envy building in your heart, recognize it is coming from a heart in rebellion against God.
Release It
Once you recognize envy in your life, the second step in dealing with it is to release those feelings of envy to God. Turn to God in prayer. Ask Him to deal with the rebellion in your heart and take away those feelings of envy.
Refocus on God
Finally, refocus your life as you thank God for the many blessings He has provided in your life. The more you recognize how much God has given you, the less you’ll be tempted to envy how God has blessed someone else!
More Articles
I have written several articles on a leader’s character. You can find them by typing “Character” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are a few of my favorites.
- #435: How Do Good Leaders Exercise Their Authority in The Service of Others?
- #429: True Leadership Requires More Than Competency and Skill
- #416: 7 Must-Have Skills of Highly Effective Godly Leaders
- #403: Is America On the Same Destructive Path as Babylon?
- #383: 4 Essential Character Traits of Smart Reentry Leaders
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. How has envy appeared in your career? How have you dealt with it?
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Category: Personal Development | Character
I like to remember the difference between admiration and envy. There have been work professionals and artists I have admired. Rather than envy their success I tried to emulate their habits and skills in order to become more accomplished.
Well said John, admiration for people or work that you respect is healthy. It can take the form of simple appreciation to the desire to improve ourselves by emulating someone else’s success! Envy, however, is a trap that leads to personal destruction!
[…] #440: If You Are Green with Envy, You Are Ripe for Trouble! […]