When We Envy Other People, We Tend To Think Of Bad Things Towards Them
But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
Acts 17: 5, NKJV
When Paul came to Thessalonica, he went to the synagogue to share about Jesus. A great multitude of devout Greeks, including a few women, were persuaded. But there was a group of Jews who didn’t agree with what Paul was sharing. It was said that they were envious of what Paul and the other believers had experienced.
After that, they gathered some people, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of a Christian man named Jason. This evil deed happened all because they were envious of the things that others experienced. They wanted to stand on what they believed in and tend to treat those who had different beliefs as bad people.
When we envy others, we often find ourselves entertaining negative thoughts about them. This can lead us to disrespect and harm others. It’s crucial that we learn to manage and overcome these emotions. Instead of relying on our own understanding, we should trust in God’s guidance to help us navigate what we feel.
God’s wisdom has the power to illuminate the things that are beyond our comprehension. When we acknowledge Him as our King, we can surrender all our emotions to Him. He will lead us to His love and guide us to make the right choices.
Prayer: Loving Father, thank you so much for reminding me to surrender everything that I feel in your presence. Help me, Lord, that I may learn to manage my emotions. Teach me how to honor and treat you as my King. Please remind me of your love, so that I may not focus on what others have. I pray for your grace, that I may learn to be grateful for the blessings that you gave. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
