Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming;
    but who can stand before jealousy?
(Proverbs 27:4)
13Â Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14Â But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15Â This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16Â For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
(James 3:13-16)
For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?
(1 Cor 3:3)
I have a problem with envy. It has proven a most persistent sin to eliminate from my life. Not that it has the most hold on me, but it is persistent all the same. That is not to say that I haven’t made improvements- I have. Yet I know I have a long way to go. It is an easy thing to say “count your blessings.” But it is another entirely to actually focus on what you have, and be thankful for it, rather than to look on that which is enjoyed by others.
Jesus called out the Pharisees for cleaning the outside of their bodies, while ignoring their hearts in matters of purification. I need to spend more time on that myself. As it is, I know that envy is hurting my efforts to live a spiritual life. I will ask of God the same thing that King David asked:
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me.
(Psalm 51:10)