Click here to pick up a copy of the study guide at Amazon.

Looking for other posts in this study? Click here for the table of contents.

One of my earliest memories came to mind this afternoon. I was about five years old, standing on an old wooden staircase, looking down at a friend’s dog while giggling uncontrollably. All Margie had to do was show Catilla her tail, and the silly dog would start running in circles as fast as she could, every time. As I got to thinking about that today, I was reminded how envy is a lot like that dog—an endless and futile pursuit of chasing the things we can’t catch.

The Bible tells us, “Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 6:9, NIV). Isn’t it crazy how we’re surrounded by wealth, but we can’t seem to enjoy it? At least not to its fullest. If you’re anything like me, that new item from Hobby Lobby is fun for a few weeks, but then it’s just another thing on the shelf. That thrill of wanting it, holding it, and having it diminishes quickly, and soon we need more.

I truly believe that God has given us hunger and thirst to teach us a spiritual truth. Ecclesiastes 6:7 reminds us, “Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied” (NIV). This shows us that regardless of how much we eat, we’ll soon be hungry again. Our spiritual tummies need to be fed on a continual basis. But, if we are feeding that inward desire with nothing but money, success, fortune, and fame, we’ll soon find ourselves hungry again. That is, until we break the cycle, stop chasing our tails, and seek fulfillment in the righteousness of Christ.

This struggle with envy and the relentless pursuit of wealth is not new. Looking back at Genesis 24, we discover that Laban hasn’t changed much. “Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring” (Genesis 24:29-30, NIV). Notice how the Bible tells us that he hurried out, “as soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms.” His eagerness suggests a keen interest in wealth rather than the well-being of his sister or the servant’s mission. His actions in that chapter set the stage for what we’d later come to see, which is a relentless pursuit of wealth.

Laban’s envy drove him to deceive, manipulate, and control the people around him. It compelled him to use his daughters as pawns to serve his own selfish interests. It also led him to exploit his son-in-law by changing Jacob’s wages ten times in an attempt to limit Jacob’s prosperity. His actions reflect how envy can lead to unethical behavior, strained relationships, and a never-ending cycle of dissatisfaction and conflict.

David Guzik writes, “God wants to deliver us from envy: ‘For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another’ (Titus 3:3, NIV). Envy is no small sin. It put Jesus on the cross: ‘For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy’ (Matthew 27:18, NIV).”

Ultimately, the only way to break free from this cycle of envy and dissatisfaction is to seek fulfillment in God. As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6, NIV). When we direct our desires towards God’s righteousness, we find true and lasting satisfaction that the things of this world could never provide.

This week in our Bible study group on Facebook, Mindy Martin shared this sweet reminder with us:

“Sisters, we belong to Christ and we need each other! So, let’s check our hearts for any envy, jealousy or comparison we may be experiencing within the Church body, then let’s take it to Jesus and surrender it on the altar in confession and repentance and then do, as our scripture verse [Philippians 4:8] teaches us this week, let’s think on the beauty of Christ and the blessings of His Church and being in community with His people. You belong here!”

You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife

P.S. I apologize for posting late this week. My grandchildren were over for the week, and with all of the commotion I actually lost track of the days. Yikes. I’m aging! 😉

This Week’s Printable

Here is this week’s printable. Click the image to view and print a higher resolution.

When you purchase a copy of the study guide, you’re actively supporting and strengthening our ministry as we spread the empowering message of the gospel to women across the globe!

We understand that not everyone can purchase the study guide, which is why we provide a printable version exclusively for those facing financial constraints. By subscribing below, you’ll unlock access to these downloadable materials. As part of our community, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the content at your own pace. Plus, as an added treat, you’ll receive periodic devotions from Time-Warp Wife, delivered directly to your inbox. Together, we can grow in faith and discover the abundant blessings of our shared journey. Join us in spreading the empowering message of the gospel to women all around the world.