As a prominent Levite singer in King David’s court, Asaph’s initial toxic envy of the prosperity of the wicked is a stark reminder that envy can strike anyone. It also reveals how envy can skew our perception of what truly matters, leading us down a path of discontent and inviting comparisons that make us feel less than we are.
To effectively tackle envy in our lives, these are five helpful strategies:
- Cultivate Gratitude: Shift our focus to abundance by recognizing and appreciating what we have.
- Celebrate Others’ Success: Admire, but don’t envy, to break the comparison cycle.
- Carve Up Personal Goals: Redirect our energy towards setting and achieving our goals, leading to personal growth and satisfaction.
- Consume Less Social Media: Reduce exposure to the often idealized portrayals on social media to decrease the urge to compare our lives to others.
- Center on God: Seek comfort and perspective in our faith. Trusting in God’s plan can provide peace and contentment.
On the last point, Asaph discovered that trusting God’s sovereignty provided him the peace that surpassed earthly temporary satisfactions. This change in his life underscores a timeless truth: the rest we long for in our hearts isn’t found in battling every lack in our lives but in surrendering our struggles to God.
Let Asaph’s journey inspire us. In times of turmoil, instead of letting envy embitter us, we can turn to God, trusting Him to guide us through the storm. By doing so, we don’t just find rest; we also gain strength and peace.
So, stop wrestling with the winds of worry and start resting in the assurance of God’s everlasting love and faithfulness, just as Asaph did.
“Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end” Psalm 73:17
“Envy, after all, comes from wanting something that isn’t yours.” ― Jodi Picoult
Fred Toké aka Dr.Tokèmon
#drtokèmon
