“And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him…And Saul eyed David from that day and forward” (1 Samuel 18:7, 9).

I have been reading through 1 Samuel in my morning Bible reading. Though I have read through this Book and enjoyed preaching from this Book over the years, it seems that the Lord is especially speaking to me in very practical ways over the last few days. This morning I was struck again by the destructive outcome of jealousy. Saul became jealous of David. Though no one would be any more loyal than David, Saul was blinded by his own jealousy of David’s successes (even though David’s successes would profit Saul greatly) and the celebration of David’s victories.  Recently I read of Andrew Bonar (1810-1892) who was a famous Scottish minister. In Gordon McDonald’s book, Restoring Your Spiritual Passion, Bonar is quoted as saying, “This day twenty years ago I preached for the first time as an ordained minister. It is amazing that the Lord has spared me and used me at all. I have no reason to wonder that He used others far more than He does me. Yet envy is my hurt, and today I have been seeking grace to rejoice exceedingly over the usefulness of others, even where it cast me into the shade. Lord, take away this envy from me!” This statement was discovered in Andrew Bonar’s diary. How my heart is challenged to guard against envy at the successes of others. How about you?

For today: Is there an area of envy that is robbing you of joy? Give it to the Lord.