Envy is a heart problem. "When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. “And I will betroth you to me forever. She ministered to so many over the years, encouraged so many to keep moving forward. With His help, we will do so. The body we spend so much money on will return to dust. Envy blinds you to your own giftedness and uniqueness. Have you noticed how many of our lessons have been centered on Jacob and his family? 4. He'd made his choice almost from the moment he saw Rachel, and it's impossible to drum up romantic love on demand. Holly was a bright, pretty child. But God has a way of evening things out: "When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Rachel said to Leah, 'Please give me some of your son's mandrakes. She needs a new Chevy Suburban, like the Jarvises'. Jacob asked Laban for Rachel's hand in marriage and volunteered to work seven years in return for her. She also may have thought that they gave her a right to claim her father's inheritance. Name envy for what it is. In his holy jealousy, God sent her away into captivity. A common reason for jealousy might be if someone were to try and win your spouse’s affections. As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. We are told “Thou shall not covet” in the divine laws given to Moses in the Old Testament. Do you keep score of your own good deeds and those of others? ', "But she said to her, 'Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? This was living in daily pain. Envy inevitably leads to personal harm and debilitation, affecting one's physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being ( Job 5:2 ; Prov 14:30 ). I want to live for that.” That’s called worship. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Col. 3:1-2). We know this because we're told, "When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods" (Gen. 31:19). To be jealous is to be anxiously suspicious or vigilant. I admire women who are struggling with infertility when I see them attending baby showers for others and sharing their joy. Eventually, we will be under the full-time control of envy, a brutal taskmaster. What Is Envy? When the word is applied to God, saying He is a jealous God means He demands that we worship and love Him exclusively. Still, her husband's passion and preference for her lasted all her life. Q. Do you complain about not getting fair treatment? Envy is defined as "a feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by another's desirable possessions or qualities, accompanied by a strong desire to have them for oneself."13. If you have seen glory in the Bible, be assured, you can see more. He is jealous for our affections. He did. At the heart of the problem is a problem of the heart. Such covetousness is what God forbids in the tenth commandment (Deuteronomy 5:21). Instead, we compare our weaknesses with others' strengths, and consequently we feel envious. We think that if we just had the success, opportunities, experiences, or fortune of another, we’d be happy. By doing the opposite of our sinful nature, we change our habit patterns and demonstrate to God that we are working with Him in renewing our minds. Do you put on a false front in order to appear impressive? Q. When we find our heart wandering in envy, we need to remember and return to him, the One who is always jealous for his Bride. Jealousy vs. I've even tried to have her teach me. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath” (Zechariah 8:2). You saw me before I was born. Sometimes a wife gave her maid to her husband sexually, and the maid became pregnant. In fact it continues. I want that. Laban agreed to give Rachel to Jacob, too, but he would have to work seven more years. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. 3. We’re on a mission to change that. She pouted when her sister was taken to Disney World as a reward for straight A's throughout high school. But it is useless. The Definition and Consequence of this Deadly Sin. One particular thing Rachel did demonstrates, after twenty years of knowing and living with Jacob, that his faith in God had made little impact on her spiritual understanding. But the difference in the characters of the two women is revealed in Genesis 30:14-16: "During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Over and over in the Old Testament, Israel wandered from God. While flattering Jack on one hand, on the other she gently questioned his reactions to Tammy's quick temper, her same old hairstyle, or her not-quite-perfect housekeeping. All rights reserved. Proverbs 14:30. In essence, Leah had to "hire" Jacob from Rachel for a night. Are you willing to pass along negative rumors about a successful person? American King James Version ×: "A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones." Sometimes envy is the reason why Christians rush into relationships with unbelievers. Envy can destroy everything and everyone around you. There's a way to show that we are changing on the inside. She quickly mastered the use of makeup, lightened her hair dramatically, and learned to dress with a slightly sexy flair. Les Carter includes these examples as sources of envy: being overly concerned with personal rights, taking other people's success personally, desiring selfish gain, yearning for status and achievement, and an inability to share.15 Let's take a closer look at each of these sources. The truth was, he'd been wanting to hold her in his arms for weeks. There was a physical difference between Leah and Rachel. Scripture actually calls God jealous by name in Scripture, “For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14). Do you need a lot of recognition for your achievements? Rachel was lovely on the outside, but her character wasn't very beautiful. A friend sent a text to share with me about an amazing restaurant she went to. Pursuit involves effort on the part of the pursuer. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. At the same time, they never seem to take the responsibility for their own actions. Jack listened to her story patiently, and by now he felt close enough to Holly to put his arms around her in comfort. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. ', "'Very well,' Rachel said, 'he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes.". She must have experienced both jealousy and envy. First of all, she still had pagan tendencies if she thought these little figurines would bring blessings. The sin of envy can be traced all the way back to one of the Ten Commandments. Today's society values people for their appearance or their achievements. She had six sons and one daughter of her own before Rachel had her first son. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright © 2020, Christianity.com. He promised to make her pure and radiant and restore her back to him as his bride. “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). External beauty can be a hindrance to character development, and Rachel was envious, jealous, selfish, manipulative, greedy, and unsatisfied. Your workmanship is marvelous... You watched me as I was ... woven together in the dark of the womb. Apparently, Rachel even used her power over Jacob to orchestrate his sex life and keep him from sleeping with Leah so she wouldn't have any more children! Nothing was ever enough for Rachel. He is jealous for our love, our worship, and our heart. Will you take my son's mandrakes too? In the Old Testament, we have classic examples of jealousy and envy in the lives of two women who were victims of their culture. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you whether your ulterior motives are for selfish gain or to achieve status in other people's eyes. 'lb make matters worse, the object of that jealousy may be unaware of it and therefore be unable to deal with it. She constantly compares him to younger men, humiliating him with caustic jokes about his weight, his thinning hair, and his middle-aged attitudes. It's hard to feel good about ourselves when we've been driving the same car for ten years while others are enjoying this year's luxury models. She described the wonderful meal she enjoyed and included a photo. Read more from the Devotional: Daily Hope with Rick Warren, Discover the full list and summary of the Seven Deadly Sins. Are Christ Figures in Literature Biblical? How Can an Omnipresent God Be in Hell if that is Eternal Separation from God? Then, at eighteen, she met Jack and Tammy Jensen, a couple in their thirties who were youth leaders at her church. Sufficient Hope: Gospel Meditations and Prayers for Moms. Rachel had what Leah wanted—Jacob's love. Of course it is God's will for you to overcome that negative emotion, and there are some concrete steps you can take to do so. Rachel was younger and had a beautiful face and figure. We see further evidence of Rachel's lack of maturity when God told Jacob to go back to his homeland. They are two words that I’ve often used interchangeably. Before the night was over, the two of them had made love. We don't accept ourselves as we are; we are unable to recognize our own strengths. So do whatever God has told you" (Gen. 31:14-16). "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Old Testament examples of the sin of jealousy include the rivalry of Joseph's brothers over the favor that Joseph received at the hand of God ( Gen 37:12-36 ; Acts 7:9 ), and Saul's animosity toward David for his physical and spiritual prowess ( 1 Sam 18 ). You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”. While our love for him ebbs and flows and is often fickle, his love is constant and unwavering. Instead, we'll follow the Spirit's leading for our own lives and choose to be grateful for everything God does for us. They are two words that I’ve often used interchangeably. Unchecked, it gradually leads to a destructive and remorseful way of life ( Prov 27:4 ), and ultimately, to estrangement from God ( Rom 1:28-32 ).