"Let us not become conceited, provoking
and envying each other."
(GALATIANS 5:26)

James 4:1-12
If gratitude is the twin of contentment, envy is its enemy. Envy and contentment cannot co-exist in a person’s heart because, at its core, envy is dissatisfaction with God’s provision and lust for something He has given to another.


Ironically, the objects of our envy will never satisfy us. Have you ever attained something you had envied only to discover that it no longer held value for you? Then in an effort to derive more satisfaction, you began to flaunt what you had, hoping that others would now envy you. Envy and conceit go hand-in-hand, spreading like a virus to others.


Many of us will spend our entire lives struggling with and perpetuating this cycle. How can we ever break free and find lasting contentment?
Only Christ can break the cycle. The key is to esteem our treasures in proportion to their true value. The more Christ takes His rightful place as the greatest treasure, the less anything else matters by comparison. Contentment quietly settles into our hearts, and Christ becomes our all in all.



Scripture Focus

James 4:1-12

Insight

WRITTEN BY DAVID WOLLEN, MAY ANCHOR, 2013

Bible In A Year

  • Deuteronomy 21-22
  • Psalm 90
  • Acts 14

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