Jealous & Envious of Others?

Before becoming a Christian, I can remember times when I would get jealous over a friend spending more time with another friend than with me, or envious because my friends were going and doing things that I could not afford to do. Or severe jealousy over my husband at that time, to the point that it caused a divorce. But now, I feel as though I have grown out of those petty jealousies and envying others, UNTIL..... we were at my younger son's wedding and my older son spent time with my cousin and my nieces who love him as much as I do, and I found myself jealous of their relationship. When I myself have a great relationship with them and always wanted them to be close with my boys. I felt really bad later and I had to ask for forgiveness and ask the Lord to take the spirit of envy and jealousy out of my heart and my spirit.

Then when reading today in Mark 3 vs 32-35...and a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking you." But He answered them saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and Mother."....

Then the Lord showed me, that once we become Christians we all belong to Him, and not to each other. My jealousy over my son with his cousins was like me saying he was mine and I did not want to share him with others. But the truth is, he is not mine, he belongs to the Lord. And we as Christians have the right to spend as much time with other Christians as we would like without having to worry about someone becoming jealous or envious. In fact when we do become jealous or envious we are actually sinning. Jealousy and envy is a sin of satan and is not of Christ, and if this applies to us, then we need to quickly repent and ask forgiveness so that we may grow and open our hearts so that we may receive more from the LORD.

Song of Solomon 8 vs 6b...Jealousy as cruel as the grave; its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame....

Prov. 14 vs 30....A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.....
Sometimes, it is the little things that we do not call sin, or recognize as sin that is keeping us from receiving our healing or our blessings. So ask the Lord today to forgive you when you may have been jealous or envious of another, and He will be quick to do so. Satan is good at disguising his ways. Don't be fooled or in denial over these things that seem so small, as small as they may seem, they carry huge consequences such as illness, diseases, hatred, anger all the things that can destroy your body. Look closely at yourself today, and see if you need cleansing in any of these areas, and then watch the Lord heal you of other things as you cleanse these from your spirit.

Neta