Tag Archives: Envy

The cure we all need

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Patient- “So Doctor, how long do I have to live?”

The great physician pondered the question, not searching for an answer, because the solution was obvious from the beginning. No, he was reflecting sadly on how his patient had allowed himself to be overcome by such a condition that was increasingly destroying his quality of life and now had become a contagion to others.

Doctor- “You will live as long as intended. My personal concern is for what quality of life you will be afforded if your condition continues untreated.

P- But Doctor, I’ve been following your orders and taking my medicine for many years. Still my condition worsens. Sometimes it seems unbearable. And lately, I’ve been seeing signs that my family and coworkers are getting this too.

D- Have you really been taking your medicine as prescribed? Have you consistently and persistently massaged the salve into all the afflicted areas? Or have you merely sprinkled it about here and there, now and then when it seemed convenient? Have you really been consistent and diligent in the exercises I gave you? Your muscles won’t grow and strengthen unless you gently stretch them. It’s only when their very fibers are gently broken that they can regrow even stronger. Remember, this isn’t a do it once and forget it process. It’s a lifetime application.

P- But it hurts. And besides, you know how busy I am and how many responsibilities I have.

D- To become fully well requires diligence, commitment, sacrifice, and even pain. Remember the first rule of airplane safety? First apply your own oxygen mask and then help others. Your condition is sucking the air out of your life. Often you don’t consider it too bad because you’ve become so accustomed to living this way. You think you have it under control but it’s an illusion. You’re not dying but one by one the most critical areas of your life will fall victim to the disease you refuse to properly treat.

P- Is there still hope for a cure? Or am I doomed?

D- Certainly, the damage has taken its toll. But the cure is now as it has always been and will always be, most effective in restoring the fullness of life you really desire. You DO want to o have a truly full and abundant life, don’t you?

P- Yes, of course. But how long will I need treatment? Sometimes it seems to cost more than it’s worth.

D- You’ll need the treatment for your entire life. It may seem costly from one perspective. But compared to the time and energy and money you fritter away on things that don’t really benefit you, it’s not costly at all.

P- Will it really be a cure? No more symptoms, sorrow, or pain?

D- It will take time but yes, it is definitely the perfect cure. It takes time and you may notice that your symptoms flare up I occasionally. Don’t let it worry you. Just keep applying the healing salve generously and vigorously and you will see remarkable improvement – and finally, a complete cure, as if you had a new body.

P- Oh Doctor, I’m sorry for being so negligent in neglecting your instructions. I really want to be well and commit my life to what you’ve said. How can I ever thank you?

D- I’ve given you enough healing salve to share with others. Help them to apply it to the destructive conditions of their lives. Share in their suffering and celebrate their victories. Seeing you live well and helping others to do the same is the thanks I desire.

As you reflect on this Doctor-patient parable, consider the cancerous effect harmful thinking that invades your own life. A little worry builds up to become a mountain of anxiety that seems insurmountable. Bitterness , anger, envy and greed grow and multiply like cancerous cells that rob the oxygen from us and smother our ability to breathe clearly and enjoy life fully. Unchecked, this condition becomes contagious and infects those around us. The solution is to consistently, persistently, and diligently apply the healing salve of God’s truth and grace so that it reaches every aspect of our lives. It’s sometimes painful, but it’s not too late. Let his truth and grace pour over you until even your unconscious thoughts bear the mark of his unending love.

Lord, take my destructive thoughts and replace them with the healing salve of your peace, patience, goodness, love and joy.

When life doesn’t seem fair

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Have you ever caught yourself thinking how some folks seem to get everything they want in life while your lot in life seems unfairly short of blessings and long in unfair suffering? Have you ever asked God why those who follow him faithfully suffer and die when others who reject him enjoy both health and prosperity? You’re certainly not alone. The prophet Aseph felt the same way. In Psalm 73, he acknowledges that God is good to those who are pure in heart. But then he says,

“But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.” (Psalm 73:2-5)

Surely, God rewards those who follow his ways, who are fully devoted to him, but just now it doesn’t appear that way. It looks like those who ignore God are doing well in all aspects of life. Called to “stand firm” we start thinking in ways that lead us to stand on a slippery foothold. How do we regain our senses at such a time? Aseph shows us. He snaps back to the reality of his faith, realizing that the foolish who ignore God and go their own ways wear the necklace of pride. They clothe themselves with violence, and they promote iniquity, fueled by evil imaginations. They look successful while they scoff at and oppress others. They mock God while they accumulate wealth for themselves. He wonders, and perhaps you have too, “Maybe keeping my heart pure was all in vain. I’m surrounded by sorrows and afflictions while everyone else seems to be living “the life of Riley.””

And then Aseph says something astounding and profound.

“When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God.” V16

We find the more we visit with doctors about my health, the more our minds are troubled by the “evidence” before us. Probably you too have observed that focusing on problems brings sorrow while focusing on solutions brings joy. What is the fulcrum point that shifts our perspective? It’s when we “enter the sanctuary of God.” Our minds and hearts can’t be turned from being troubled to being transformed until we enter God’s presence and seek his heart.

It’s then that we understand the final destiny of mockers and self-seekers and also the grest inheritance of those committed to living fully – yet however imperfectly – for God. He takes our hand and leads us from slippery ground to a solid rock, a foundation that is unshakeable.

In our envy, we are like Aseph. Our heart is grieved, our spirit is filled with bitterness, and our ignorance defines us until we come to Jesus, the perfector of our soul, the redeemer of our life. I wonder if Aseph’s realization describes how you’ve been transformed by the love of God:

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.” (V23-26, 28)

This life doesn’t always seem fair. In our emptiness, we ask, “How long, O Lord?” But enter into the presence – the sanctuary – of the Lord and inherit a new perspective that strengthens you and fills you with great hope. Tell others of his goodness and be renewed in your own spirit.

In what ways will you enter into the sanctuary of God today?