June Hunt - Envy and Jealousy: Taming the Terrible Twins

1. Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary (2001); http://www.m-w.com.
2. W. E. Vine, Merrill Unger, William White, Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996), 204.
3. Vine, Unger, White, Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words , 136.
4. Merriam Webster, jealous.
5. W. E. Vine, Merrill Unger, William White, Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words electronic ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996)
6. Vine, Unger, White, Vines Complete Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words , 136.
7. Betsy Cohen, The Snow White Syndrome: All About Envy (New York: Macmillan, 1986), 2324; Charles R. Swindoll, Killing Giants, Pulling Thorns (Portland, Ore.: Multnomah, 1978), 23.
8. Cohen, The Snow White Syndrome , 25.
9. This section adapted from Doug Britton, Evaluate Yourself if Your Spouse Is Jealous, Life Tree (Citrus Heights, CA), accessed May 8, 2015, http://www.dougbrittonbooks.com/onlinebiblestudies-depressionanddiscouragement/jealousyandinsecurity-evaluateyourselfifyourspouseisjealous.php.
10. Lawrence J. Crabb, Jr., Understanding People: Deep Longings for Relationship , Ministry Resources Library (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987), 1516; Robert S. McGee, The Search for Significance , 2nd ed. (Houston, TX: Rapha, 1990), 2730.
11. Crabb, Jr., Understanding People , 15-16; McGee, The Search for Significance , 27-30.
12. Alice Fryling, Reshaping a Jealous Heart (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 15-17.
13. Horst Robert Balz and Gerhard Schneider, Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament , Translation of: Exegetisches Worterbuch zum Neuen Testament , volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1993), 812.
14. This section adapted from Nick, LifeWithoutLimbs (Agoura Hills, CA), accessed August 1, 2017, https://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/about-nick/bio/.

Envy & Jealousy: Taming the Terrible Twins
2018 Hope For The Heart
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Dear Friend,

Most of us know people who continually crave something they dont have or constantly fear losing what they do have . These people often struggle with envy and jealousy two distinctly different emotions yet both can be equally destructive.

If youre thinking: This isnt my problem , believe me, I understand! But before you come to this conclusion, let me share an experience from my past when envy unexpectedly reared its ugly head!

When I was 24, I was invited to sing for a charity event at a local country club. Another singermy mothers friendwould also be performing. This attractive dramatic soprano, a popular, well-traveled soloist, had earned the reputation of always being well-received by audiences.

I appeared onstage first, then came Martha. At the conclusion of her powerful performance, she received a well-deserved round of applause. Immediately, I found myself wondering, Hmm, how long did her applause last? This initial thought shocked me: June, what are you doingtrying to measure her applause to yours? Why are you comparing yourself to Martha? (I had never had these thoughts before.)

Following the speakers message about the charity, Martha and I each had another opportunity to sing. I prepared myself by praying, Lord, I pray that my music will draw people into a deeper dependence on You.

After my final song, I felt pleased with my heart message communicated through the music. Then as I walked back to my seat, I suddenly became acutely aware of the applause... no, the length of the applause... for me . Instantly I felt disgusted. June, dont do this. Stop it! Stop it! I was stunned and even saddened at my own desire to be as well-received as this gifted, seasoned soloist. I very much wanted to be content just to do my best.

How interesting, at that moment, it didnt matter that I had a university degree in music (as was also true of Martha). It didnt matter that a year before I had sung on NBCs Today show, or that Id done a USO Tour to Vietnam, or had been guest soloist for the Billy Graham crusades. Obviously, accomplishments and acclaim are not protectors guarding us against the potential emotion of envy.

Regardless of our achievements, envy is the breeding ground for discontentment. However, if we want spiritual growth in our lives, the Bible says, Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

Because of that single experience, Ive been keenly aware of my own potential to be envious. Im sure envy has crept into my life since then. Yet, to be honest, I am afraid of it and dont want any part of it! Instead, I want to trust God with whatever He has given me to do, and do it to the best of my abilitywithout comparing myself to someone else. I know my life isnt based on what I do or what I accomplish. And God certainly doesnt determine my value, or yours, by comparing us to someone else.

We all must be on guard against the evil eye of envy. But how? Let me share one suggestion.

In 1986, Hope For The Heart our biblical counseling radio ministrybegan as a 15-minute program airing one theme each day for a week. Years later, we were advised to increase the length of our daily broadcast to 30 minutes. But we didnt know that another 15-minute program was also expanding to one half-hour the same month. Both programs were often paired together to make a 30-minute block.

Then it appeared that our two programs would be competing to be placed on hundreds of stations. (Candidly, I dont like competition in the Christian arena and avoid it like the plague!)

That year when I saw this speaker/radio host at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, I shared with her that Id put her name on my bathroom mirror: Im regularly praying that you will have the blessing and anointing of God on your ministry. And I meant it. And for three years, I genuinely prayed for her.