1 00:00:02,670 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We are so 2 00:00:14,180 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: glad to have you listening with us here today. Today's 3 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: topic is about coping with jealousy. We will return after 4 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:38,850 Speaker 1: a brief message from our sponsor. Coping with Jealousy in 5 00:00:38,890 --> 00:00:44,030 Speaker 1: a Comparison-Driven World Written by Vivian Bricker Read by Rochelle 6 00:00:44,130 --> 00:00:49,630 Speaker 1: Alberti Bible Reading For where you have envy and selfish ambition, 7 00:00:50,060 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: there you find disorder and every evil practice. James 3.16 8 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,260 Speaker 1: A sin I struggle with in my life is jealousy. 9 00:01:00,260 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: I have often been jealous of others because they are 10 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,780 Speaker 1: happy and I am not. I was talking to a 11 00:01:05,819 --> 00:01:08,410 Speaker 1: friend a while ago about my jealousy issue because I 12 00:01:08,450 --> 00:01:12,270 Speaker 1: was quite upset. Another friend of mine had the privilege 13 00:01:12,290 --> 00:01:16,650 Speaker 1: of going to the once-in-a-lifetime Taylor Swift Heiress Tour. This 14 00:01:16,750 --> 00:01:20,230 Speaker 1: friend hadn't even been a fan for a year yet. I, 15 00:01:20,330 --> 00:01:22,460 Speaker 1: on the other hand, have been a fan since I 16 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: was 8 years old when her debut album was released. Unfortunately, 17 00:01:27,140 --> 00:01:30,140 Speaker 1: I wasn't able to attend the Heiress Tour because it 18 00:01:30,180 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 1: was incredibly expensive and notoriously hard to get tickets. When 19 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 1: my friend casually told me that she had bought a 20 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,580 Speaker 1: ticket to see the heiress tour, I was jealous, but 21 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:45,949 Speaker 1: also mad. Since I already struggle with depression, I am 22 00:01:46,010 --> 00:01:49,190 Speaker 1: a pro at hiding my emotions, and I hid my 23 00:01:49,250 --> 00:01:52,310 Speaker 1: jealousy from her. However, when I was talking to my 24 00:01:52,410 --> 00:01:55,090 Speaker 1: other friend about it, he told me that my feelings 25 00:01:55,110 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: were valid, but that the jealousy issue was something I 26 00:01:58,220 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: would need to work on. He helped me understand exactly 27 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,230 Speaker 1: why I was jealous and mad, and how to cope 28 00:02:04,250 --> 00:02:08,470 Speaker 1: with these feelings in a healthy way. I still struggle 29 00:02:08,530 --> 00:02:11,889 Speaker 1: with feelings of jealousy at times, but I'm also aware 30 00:02:11,950 --> 00:02:14,989 Speaker 1: of how bitter it can make us. It can also 31 00:02:15,050 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: make us extremely unhappy. As my therapist friend told me, 32 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,419 Speaker 1: wouldn't it be better to focus on your own life 33 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: rather than wanting what others have? While this is something 34 00:02:27,020 --> 00:02:30,650 Speaker 1: I'm still trying to apply, I am making small progress 35 00:02:30,870 --> 00:02:36,669 Speaker 1: each day. intersecting faith and life. Something else that I 36 00:02:36,710 --> 00:02:39,430 Speaker 1: have found helpful with my jealousy is studying what the 37 00:02:39,510 --> 00:02:42,570 Speaker 1: Bible says and asking the Lord to help me with 38 00:02:42,610 --> 00:02:46,210 Speaker 1: these feelings. The Bible tells us, These are the words 39 00:02:46,290 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: of James, the half-brother of the Lord, and we need 40 00:02:48,220 --> 00:03:01,489 Speaker 1: to take them to heart. Whenever we have envy and 41 00:03:01,530 --> 00:03:05,730 Speaker 1: selfish ambition, we will find disorder and every evil practice. 42 00:03:07,070 --> 00:03:10,690 Speaker 1: I can certainly say James' words are true because jealousy 43 00:03:10,730 --> 00:03:14,990 Speaker 1: has never helped me in the slightest. Instead, it only 44 00:03:15,050 --> 00:03:18,660 Speaker 1: makes our lives worse. Rather than enjoying our own lives, 45 00:03:18,860 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: we will only focus on the things we don't have. 46 00:03:21,940 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: While there is nothing wrong with wanting better things in life, 47 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,060 Speaker 1: we don't need to covet what others have or to 48 00:03:28,100 --> 00:03:33,500 Speaker 1: be jealous of others. Exodus 20, 17 This is the 49 00:03:33,540 --> 00:03:37,060 Speaker 1: challenge being placed before us today. We need to replace 50 00:03:37,140 --> 00:03:42,380 Speaker 1: jealousy with contentment. As Paul says, But godliness with contentment 51 00:03:42,900 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, 52 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: and we can take nothing out of it. 1 Timothy 6, 53 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:55,620 Speaker 1: 6-7 Contentment can transform our lives into ones full of peace, serenity, 54 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,970 Speaker 1: and solace. By going to the Lord in prayer, being 55 00:04:00,070 --> 00:04:03,730 Speaker 1: honest about our jealousy, and seeking His guidance in the Bible, 56 00:04:04,230 --> 00:04:07,390 Speaker 1: we will begin to see our lives change. Our hearts 57 00:04:07,410 --> 00:04:10,430 Speaker 1: will be less prone to lean towards jealousy and will 58 00:04:10,450 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: begin to shift towards contentment. Ask the Lord to help 59 00:04:14,580 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: you today and find inner peace in what He has 60 00:04:17,620 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: given you in life. Jealousy is a common sin in 61 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,979 Speaker 1: many of our lives. Why do you think it is 62 00:04:26,060 --> 00:04:29,030 Speaker 1: so easy to become jealous of others or what they have? 63 00:04:30,710 --> 00:04:33,290 Speaker 1: Do you have a story of a time when jealousy 64 00:04:33,370 --> 00:04:38,290 Speaker 1: turned you into somebody you are not? If so, what happened? 65 00:04:39,350 --> 00:04:43,460 Speaker 1: How did you feel? What are some ways you can 66 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 1: swap jealousy for contentment? Pray with me. Dear Jesus, my 67 00:04:50,740 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: heart is prone to roam after jealousy. Please forgive me 68 00:04:54,860 --> 00:04:58,020 Speaker 1: for this sin. I ask that you transform my heart 69 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,700 Speaker 1: into a heart of contentment. Turn my heart away from 70 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: yearning after what others have. Fill my heart with contentment, hope, 71 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:11,380 Speaker 1: and peace. I give you all the praise and thanks, Lord. Amen. 72 00:05:13,060 --> 00:05:16,910 Speaker 1: Further reading, Exodus 20, 17, Proverbs 14, 30, 1 Corinthians 10, 13, 73 00:05:16,910 --> 00:05:17,450 Speaker 1: James 3, 14-15, and. 74 00:05:17,390 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 2: 4, 2-3. 75 00:05:30,660 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 3: If you're looking to grow in prayer or start your 76 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:35,060 Speaker 3: day with your heart focused on the right things, search 77 00:05:35,100 --> 00:05:38,110 Speaker 3: for Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app and 78 00:05:38,140 --> 00:06:01,310 Speaker 3: be sure to follow the show so you get a 79 00:06:01,410 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 3: new prayer delivered straight to you each morning. 80 00:06:11,589 --> 00:06:15,050 Speaker 2: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 81 00:06:15,110 --> 00:06:18,790 Speaker 2: something new. 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