Break Free From Envy a Six-Day Reading Plan by Anna LightSample

Day 4- Envy on the Outside

As I said in day one, the damage of envy goes two ways. We know the kind of damage it can do when it’s coming from our own hearts. But what about the damage it does when envy is coming against you from another person? 

Our culture of social media is a breeding ground for envy. If you’re not careful, and if you don’t guard your heart when you’re scrolling through other people’s lives, you run the risk of falling into a discontentment with your own life. Studies have shown one in three people feel worse after being on social media, and this is especially true for adolescents ages 12-18. Here’s why I think that is: 

Seeing people whose lives seem happier than our own—their success, talents and possessions—can lead to reactions of envy, which can cause people who feel that envy to share things that make their life seem more positive than it really is, thus creating a vicious cycle. 

Be mindful with whom you share your blessings. I like how John Eldredge explains this: “It’s not that others who envy you are wishing you harm, but envy opens the door to the one who does wish you harm.”

We live in a spiritual battle and our enemy will use whatever means necessary to destroy us, even using us against each other if we’re not aware. Your feelings of envy toward someone can cause their hearts harm, just as others' envy of you can cause your heart and spirit harm. 

We’ve all been on both sides of the equation, maybe without even realizing it. We’ve dealt with debilitating envy toward others and we’ve received harmful envy from others. There are a few ways to tell if you’re experiencing the spirit of envy coming against you. Envy can be felt in the underlying exchange of energy experienced when interacting with other people. It’s a spirit unleashed when we give in to the evil, selfish thoughts: “It’s not fair.” “Who do they think they are?” “Why are they always the ones who are blessed?” “Why isn’t that happening for me?”

We’ve all experienced those thoughts, but have you considered others have had those thoughts about you? 

How do you know if you’re experiencing the spirit of envy coming against you? Here are a couple other signs:

1. Have you experienced a diminishing enjoyment of the blessings of God in your life? Envy is a thief and a destroyer. When this spirit is active in your life it can steal the joy that is meant for you to experience.

2. Have you experienced a loss of interest in things you used to enjoy or areas of your gifting?

I love to write. I was born with a gift and love for words but as I’ve ventured to share my writing I’ve found myself losing interest, getting agitated, and wanting to give up. Could it be that as I’ve shared my gift, the spirit of envy has stolen my desire to do the thing that brings me joy? 

What about you? What is the thing you love to do? The thing you feel uniquely called and gifted by God to do? Have you lost interest in it? Have you believed the lie it’s not worth sharing, pursuing, or doing for pure enjoyment? I’m not condemning people who experience envy. We all do. I’m condemning the devil himself who will use other people’s emotions to open a door for the spirit of envy to wreak havoc on our dreams, desires, and calling. 

We feed off of each other’s energy. Oftentimes the self-doubt you experience is the negative energy of other people’s intimidation of your potential. Thus, the spirit of diminishment, born from their envy, manifests in your heart holding you back. It’s time we wake up to the way the enemy uses us against each other to decrease our influence.

To heal and safeguard our hearts from the envy of others we can pray that the love of Christ comes between us and anyone we may encounter. Only His love softens envy. Show that love to those you encounter and the spirit of envy will not be able to penetrate your soul.