Examine Yourself

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves…
2 Corinthians 13:5

According to seventeenth-century British clergyman Joseph Hall, there are three reasons we aren’t as thankful as we should be: envy, pride, and covetousness. Envy, said Hall, is looking more at someone else’s blessings than at our own. Pride is looking more at ourselves than at our blessings. And covetousness is looking more at what we wish we had than at what we actually have.

When church members, coworkers, schoolmates, or family members become jealous of each other, it eats away at the foundation of a loving relationship. This spirit can only be replaced when we recognize it for what it is—the sin of coveting. We want something possessed by another person—time, money, popularity, success, or whatever it is.

When it exists, covetous jealousy is a sin to be confessed. Loving compassion is an attitude to be embraced. As we examine ourselves, we recognize where sin exists. Only then can we confess it and replace it with a thankful heart.

The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in God.
Jerry Bridges