The Quiet Poison of Envy

Opening the door to bitterness, division, and resentment

Happy December!

I hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend. Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. We were able to have our entire family together from Wednesday to last night (which doesn’t happen often), and it was so wonderful. Our daughter and her boyfriend flew back to Florida last night … and today things go back to normal for a few weeks. The Christmas holiday season is upon us!

This week, we’re looking at five sins we often overlook. These aren’t the outward, scandalous kinds of sins. These are the quiet ones that settle into the heart. They don’t collapse a life overnight, but they slowly bend our attitudes and weaken our walk with Christ. Most of us don’t talk openly about these struggles, but they are real. And they remind us how much we need the grace of Jesus every single day.

Today, we begin with envy.

Envy is No Small Problem

Proverbs 14:30 says, “A tranquil heart is life to the body, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.” That’s blunt. Envy is seen as a deep, hidden decay that works from the inside out.

Envy appears when someone else gets something we desire. It could be a blessing, a talent, a position, a friendship, or an answered prayer. Instead of celebrating, we hesitate. We show a smile outwardly, but inside, something tightens. We may stay silent, but our heart keeps score.

James warns us that this attitude is dangerous. He writes, “Where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:16). Envy doesn’t stay put. It opens the door to bitterness, division, and resentment. It shapes how we see people. It changes how we treat them. It makes us suspicious and insecure.

At its core, envy is a trust issue. We forget who God is and how He operates. Jesus told His disciples that the Father knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8). He sees us. He provides. He gives in wisdom and love. But when envy takes hold, we start believing God is holding out on us. We notice someone else’s blessing and assume we’ve been overlooked.

I think Psalm 73 vividly illustrates this inner struggle. Asaph admits he was envious of the arrogant, saying, “I envied the wicked when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3). His footing nearly faltered because he focused on what others possessed. But later in the psalm, he recognizes that the issue wasn’t God. It was his perspective. When he entered God’s presence, everything shifted. He remembered that God was his portion, his strength, and his future. Envy disappeared when he stopped fixating on others and began looking to God.

Paul shares another critical reminder. In 1 Corinthians 13:4, he states, “Love does not envy.” True love celebrates others' good fortune. It desires their growth. It refuses to see life as a competition. Envy contracts the heart. Love enlarges it.

Envy Inside the Church

Envy also appears within the church, among people who love the Lord and want to serve faithfully. Unfortunately, it appears among those who preach and teach as well. We don’t like to admit this, but it’s true, and it is one of the leading causes of brotherhood controversies today.

Paul faced this in his own work. In Philippians 1:15-17, he says, “Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry.” Imagine that. Men standing in the pulpit, preaching the gospel, but driven by competition. They weren’t trying to build up the kingdom. They were trying to outdo Paul. The motives were wrong, even though the message was right.

That still happens. A preacher hears praise for another preacher and quietly resents it. Someone else gets an opportunity, and instead of rejoicing, we wonder why we weren’t chosen. Another congregation grows, and instead of celebrating their fruit, we feel insecure about our own work. Or worse yet, we decide to criticize the other work and even work to smear its reputation. Envy slips in, and the work becomes about us instead of the Lord.

James warns what this does to a church: “Where there is envy… there is disorder” (James 3:16). Envy never builds unity. It never encourages. It never strengthens the flock. It creates suspicion, comparison, and competition where there should be humility and love.

The truth is, the church is not a stage. Ministry is not a contest. The Lord distributes gifts as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11). He places people where they can serve best. He opens and closes doors in His wisdom. And as Paul reminds us, “So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7).

Once we remember that, envy loses its power. Someone else’s success doesn’t threaten us. Someone else’s gift doesn’t diminish ours. Someone else’s opportunity doesn’t mean we’ve been forgotten. The goal is not to shine. The goal is to serve.

And when we start celebrating what God is doing in others, the whole church becomes healthier. Teachers encourage teachers. Preachers lift up preachers. Elders bless the work of other elders. Members rejoice when anyone in the body grows, succeeds, or blesses others. That’s how the kingdom is supposed to work.

So how do we fight envy?

First, be honest. To bring this silent sin into the light, we need to confess it. If you're feeling jealous, tell the Lord. He already knows. Ask Him to heal the parts of your heart that tighten when others receive good things.

Second, practice gratitude. Gratitude pulls our eyes back to God’s generosity. It keeps us aware of His daily mercies. It reminds us that He has not withheld His goodness from us. When Paul told the Thessalonians to “give thanks in everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), he was pointing to a discipline that protects the heart.

Third, trust the Father’s timing. Jesus said the Father delights to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11). If something has not come yet, He has a reason. Trust doesn’t mean we stop desiring good things. It means we rest in God instead of competing with others.

The tranquil heart Solomon mentioned in Proverbs 14:30 is possible. Christ makes that possible. As you walk with Him today, let His peace replace comparison. Let His love drive out jealousy. Let His presence steady your heart. And let His grace undo the quiet poison of envy.