THERE IS ALWAYS A BIGGER FISH. There is always someone smarter than you and prettier. Besides, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There will always be someone more athletic and can sing better than you. There’s someone with more giftings and talents than you. There’s always someone who does the job better, no matter how hard you try. BUT guess what? You are not in competition with anyone. I know this is a dog eat dog world and sometimes you feel like you are wearing milk bone underwear, however there’s no need to get caught up in the competitive rat race. Competition breeds envy and jealousy and the Word says nothing can stand against jealousy.
Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy? Proverbs 27:4
An envious and jealous heart will consume you and cause you to think and do things that can quickly spiral out of control. Remember Cain? The Lord told him, “If you do well, will you not also be accepted?” But he didn’t listen to the Lord. He let his jealousy consume him until he murdered his own brother. It was not enough for him to be accepted by the Lord, he had to compete with his brother. Do not fall into the competition trap. It can end up costing you your life. Scripture tells us that to hate our brother in Christ in our heart is to murder him. Jealousy has the ability to quickly escalate into hatred.
Be content with who you are in Christ and what He has called you to do. Your brother/sister in Christ is no better than you. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. They have differing gifts than you, but why would you look at another’s gift as somehow better than those He has entrusted you with? That’s insulting the Spirit of grace. Their gifts are not better than yours, just different. I like to say “Run fast and stay in your lane”. If you do well, will you not also be accepted? The Lord loves you and He created you for Him and His glory- not for the glory of another.
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalms 139:14
Rejoice in His presence and In His presents to you. He doesn’t ask you to be anyone accept who He created you to be. He doesn’t ask you to use another’s gifts; He asks you to use the ones He has given you. Perhaps their field is fruitful and yours is barren because you have been lazy? At least put the blame where it needs to go squarely in your own lap. You have no idea what another has gone through: the adversity they have overcome, the toiling in the heat of the day or how rocky and barren their soil was to begin with. I tell young people to not look longingly at what your parents have- they are 20-30 years ahead of you. A good harvest takes time. Keep your eyes on your own field. Jealousy only brings destruction.
“If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?” 1 Corinthians 12:15-19
At least the eye knows to stay in its socket.
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
