Have you ever been with a group of women at a special conference and enjoyed great singers and a great speaker? Everyone walks away with wonderful thoughts about what they just heard and are challenged by the message, and yet while you are sitting with those same group of women, you hear comments like: I wish I could sing like “she” did tonight; play the piano like her husband; or speak and encourage women everywhere like the main speaker did? One by one each of the women begin to share their insecurities at “not” being able to be like the “other person” that they completely forget what the Word of God teaches about envy and/or negative feelings.
Self-doubt and low self-esteem seem to creep into our group gatherings almost unaware and without giving a second thought to what God says about us–we were created in His image–and who we are in Him.
Genesis 1:27 (NIV): “So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” So many of us suffer from low self-esteem that we forget when we are being envious that God created everyone (including male and female) in His own image (likeness).
I Samuel 16:7 (NIV): “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'” God loves the “you” inside.
If you are having feelings of self-doubt or being envious, here are a few more scriptures to help you overcome those negative feelings:
Psalm 145:13 (NIV): “The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” That includes each of us. He is faithful to bring about his promises in your life.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” He can help us overcome negative thinking because it tells us that His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. That is a blessed thought.
Psalm 107:13-14 (NIV): “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains.” Envy leads to depression and feelings of worthlessness, but God promises to bring us out of our deepest despair and breaks away the chains that bind us.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV): “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Our rest from negative thinking is found in Jesus Christ who makes every burden light that we encounter.
Psalm 34:17-18 (NIV): “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” The Lord hears us when we cry out to Him and He delivers and saves our crushed spirits.
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV): “…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” A song based on Isaiah 40:31 entitled “They That Wait Upon The Lord” ends with “teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait.” This is the key to changing our negative thinking into positive thinking. Waiting on the Lord is where we find strength; by waiting on him who is the author and finisher of our faith.
James 3:16-18 (NIV): For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
What we reap, we sow. Therefore, it is up to us to sow “good seeds” by seeking wisdom and the result will be love instead of envy.
I Corinthians 13:4 (NIV): “Love suffers long, and is kind. Love does not envy.”
I recently heard Christine Caine (Women of Faith) share her testimony as she spoke about “being free” in Christ Jesus. One of the comments she made that stood out to me was that we should “choose today to deal with yesterday in order to deal with tomorrow”; and that we must “step into today” in order to “step into tomorrow.” Getting rid of yesterday’s (past) negative thinking about things that have happened will help us deal with the tomorrows that God has for us.
According to I Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV) “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men (and women).”
He desires to give each of us the gifts that He has chosen for us. We need to seek Him and He will show us what our gifts are so that He can use us for His Kingdom.
Blessings on You,
Yvonne