I will take joy in what God gives you and accept what God gives me with joy
I will take pride in your accomplishments
How is envy antithetical to love? Why does God command us not to envy (or "covet")?
This week we explored the truth that "love...does not envy" (1 Corinthians 13:4). Before you listen, you might want to take the "Envy Test" (after the jump) to test where you are in your battle against envy in your life.
Listen to this episode
Download this episode (right click and save)
THE ENVY TEST
Read the following statements and write 4 if the statement is always/usually true of you, 3 if it is often true, 2 if it is sometimes true, or 1 if it is seldom/never true.
,
1. I make everything a competition
2. I put down what others have.
3. I am resentful of people who seem to be especially well-respected or well-liked or who have authority I would like to have.
4. It’s hard for me to be happy for someone else if they get (or already have) something I want.
5. When I see what other people have, what I have does not seem good enough anymore.
6. There are many people I view as rivals.
7. I find myself resenting people who have what I want.
8. I get depressed when I look at what other people can do or what they have.
9. I am tempted to bend the rules, cut corners, work too much, or cheat in order to get what I want.
10. I compare myself with people who have more, not less.
11. I get angry if someone new begins spending time with a good friend.
12. I feel the need to top what someone else does, says, or has.
Results
· 40-48: You have a major problem with envy. Your envy is probably doing severe damage to your own happiness and your relationship to God.
· 32-40: You have serious envy issues. There are certain areas in your life where envy has taken a stronghold and doing damage.
· 20-32: Envy is a substantial issue in your life. There are areas in your life where envy pops up and prevents you from living the kind of life God wants you to live.
· 12-20: Envy is not a major issue in your life at this time. But watch for these signs in your life! (Of course, it is also possible you scored this low because you are too prideful to admit that your problems with envy or that this test doesn’t point to your particular problem areas.)
Results
· 40-48: You have a major problem with envy. Your envy is probably doing severe damage to your own happiness and your relationship to God.
· 32-40: You have serious envy issues. There are certain areas in your life where envy has taken a stronghold and doing damage.
· 20-32: Envy is a substantial issue in your life. There are areas in your life where envy pops up and prevents you from living the kind of life God wants you to live.
· 12-20: Envy is not a major issue in your life at this time. But watch for these signs in your life! (Of course, it is also possible you scored this low because you are too prideful to admit that your problems with envy or that this test doesn’t point to your particular problem areas.)
No comments:
Post a Comment