Spiritual Heart Disease – Beloved Women – May 25, 2020
READ: “And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” (Mark 7:14-15 ESV)
TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control, one person dies of heart disease every 37 seconds. Like our physical hearts, our spiritual hearts can also suffer from disease.
Envy is a nasty heart disease that leads to distress at another person’s success. Everyone is susceptible to envy, but it is usually hidden until God blesses another person. When envy rears its ugly head, it releases a whirlwind of emotions that create confusion, a toxic environment and all kinds of evil including comparison, anger, hatred, strife, and jealousy.
The older brother in Luke 15:25-30 had access to everything his Dad had. The father loved him unconditionally. But when his Dad welcomed the younger brother back home and threw a big party, he could not rejoice with his brother. Instead, he was envious and resentful. He felt his Dad was unfair and never celebrated him. Though the older brother looked fine outwardly, he had spiritual heart disease.
The road to envy is slippery. If we are not careful, we can fall into temptation. We can overcome envy by loving others and asking God to help us rejoice with them. We can quench envy by walking in the Spirit, delighting in the Lord, and thanking him for what we have.
PRAY: Lord, please uproot the tentacles of envy from my heart and fill me with Your love, a spirit of contentment, and gratitude. Help me find joy in Your blessings. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.
REFLECT: What is the condition of your heart? Are you unhappy when others have what you desire? In what ways will you ask God for the grace to overcome envy?
CONNECT: Find more encouragement from Tope Keku at www.hiddentreasuresandriches.com.
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© 2020 by Tope Keku. All rights reserved.
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