ENVY

A little envy or great envy is based on the same thing - wanting something we don’t have [read Exodus 20:17].  Fundamentally it is a case of wanting someone else’s life or portions of it.  It is a feeling and perspective that I deserve more and God has not been fair.  The reason why God says it is a sin and instructs us against envy (covetousness) is because it is spiritual self-pity in which we forget our sins and sin nature and forget what we truly deserve from God - eternal condemnation and banishment.  It is a spiritual self-pity that drains all the joy of our life and makes it impossible to enjoy what we have [read Hebrews 13:5 & Philippians 4:11-12].  Envy is such a strong and powerful sin that it made Adam and Eve feel like the Garden of Eden (with God) like it was not enough.  Therefore, replace envy with gratefulness to God and faith in Him [read Acts 7:9] for what you have and for what He will provide despite our shortcomings in our humanity and sin nature [read 1 Corinthians 13:4 & Proverbs 23:17].