Y’all, I’ve talked about this before—how it’s the little foxes in life that I constantly have to ask God for help with. And today, the little fox I’m calling out is envy.
I always have to double-check the definition of envy because, in English, it often gets mixed up with jealousy. But they aren’t the same thing. Envy is wanting something you don’t have. Jealousy is being afraid of losing something you already do.
Now, let me be real with you—I want to be the kind of person who always rejoices with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15). But sometimes? I’m just not feeling it. And in those moments, I have to check my heart and reach out to God for help. Because the root of envy? Comparison.
And comparison is sneaky. It makes you believe that someone else’s success somehow lessens your own. But Proverbs 14:30 puts it plainly:
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
Whew. Rots the bones?! That’s deep. And it reminds me that any time envy creeps in, it’s stealing my joy and my ability to see the blessings already in my life.
So when I catch myself comparing, I shift my focus to gratitude. Gratitude resets my heart posture, reminding me of the overflow of blessings God has already given me. And when I truly lean into that, envy loses its power.
Have you ever found yourself letting envy rob you of happiness? How do you shift your focus when comparison sneaks in?