Gal 5:26 | Envy is Not Love | Natasha Shorts | 11-30-2025 | Reach City Church

Envy is desiring what you do not have so much so that you resent the person who has it. In that same book, he says, envy shifts the focus to the person. It drives me to ruminate about how that person is less deserving, how that person is less worthy, how that person is just less. He goes on to say, sadly, I am secretly cursing the people I am called to rejoice with when they are blessed. And even more appalling, I will take pleasure in their pain. That is envy. And I would argue that's what we struggle with. [00:11:08] (36 seconds)  #RejoiceDontResent

Conceit is a state of pride arising out of an overestimation of one's own ability, possessions, or importance. It's pride, and pride breeds an envy because it tells us that we deserve the blessing more than the other person. We deserve the blessing more than our brother and sister in Christ. We did more. We're better. We're this. We're that. And the last time I checked, that's not how God made us. That's not how it works. Last time I checked, he is the powder, and we are the clay. [00:13:42] (36 seconds)  #HumbleNotConceit

If we turned all of that to our neighbors, how many people would have what they need? How many people would be encouraged? How many people would have friends? How many people would actually feel like, oh, my gosh, I belong to this community? How much would there be, like, all these needs met if we would just not focus on ourselves, if we would not get room for envy by being conceited? Envy is rooted in conceit, but since we are to become like Christ in every way, we are called to be selfless people. [00:20:32] (31 seconds)  #ServeOthersNotSelf

If you don't know, if you can't think of, like, how much envy actually hurts the other person, ask Jesus. Mark 15 verse 10 says, for he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priest had delivered him up. So to be clear, Jesus didn't perceive that it was Pilate, actually, which goes back to even the Galatians passage that we're talking about. Now the works of the flesh are evident. Listen, it don't take spiritual eyes to see some things is just wrong, okay? [00:31:10] (27 seconds)  #EnvyHurtJesus

Another thing here when it comes to how envy, there's nothing good about envy. The cost of envy is not worth what we are paying for it. What does it cost us? It cost us joy, peace, contentment, hope, joy, peace, contentment, and hope. These are the things, some of these things are listed when it comes to the fruits of the spirit. So we must not be walking in the spirit if we're not experiencing these things, right? [00:33:03] (29 seconds)  #ChooseFruitsNotEnvy

We cannot love one another and envy one another at the same time. Now, I get it. It's the thing now to say, like, two things can be true at the same time, not this. That's not how this works. That's not it. Or even, like, we're like, oh, get you somebody that can do both. Not with this. You don't want that. Okay? Because we can't love your bestie. We can't love our bestie and also hate her. That frenemies thing is a lie. That's the world. That's foolish. [00:36:51] (23 seconds)  #NoFrenemies

We need the Holy Spirit's power to walk in the manner worthy of the gospel, to actually love each other. We got to stop trying to do that in our own flesh. We can't. If we could, we wouldn't need him, but we do. And so, even with that part, envy has no place in the church. Scripture says they will know us by our love. Do they? Do they? Like, because first, it's like, how loving are we to each other? Do they know us by our love? [00:39:23] (34 seconds)  #KnownByOurLove

The reality is we have all either envied someone or we are being envied or both. And the truth about envy is that envy is rooted in selfishness. There is nothing good that comes from envy, and we cannot love one another and envy one another at the same time. [00:41:13] (19 seconds)  #EndEnvy

``To love one another like Christ loved the church, we must repent of envying each other moment by moment and forgive those who have envied us. We will envy. We are still in the flesh, but we can choose by the power of the Holy Spirit not to give in to it. We can choose to course correct by his power, by his strength. We can make a difference. [00:42:30] (19 seconds)  #LoveByTheSpirit

A true Christian, true Christian relationships are governed not by rivalry, but by service. The correct attitude to other people is not I'm better than you and I'll prove it, nor you're better than me and I'll resent it. But you are a person of importance in your own right, because God made you in his own image and Christ died for you. And it is my joy and privilege to serve you. [00:42:52] (25 seconds)  #ServeNotRivalry