PARTNERING WITH JEALOUSY

Jonelle Maxwell

Jealousy is one of the most issues people deal with daily. Jealousy have aborted many relationships and marriages. I call this an inward issue that has entered into the hearts of many. There have been times all of us been jealous of someone for obtaining something we desired for ourselves. It can be a job, money, marriage, a new home, ministry gifts, a promotion, or even having children. Whatever it is, we have found ourselves toiling in the anger and frustration of jealousy.

Although, I have touched on this topic before, let’s discuss one being jealous of someone’s marriage. I found over the years that many marriages experienced divorce due to what others have projected towards their marriage. While we think those that are close to us would be happy for us, this is not always the truth. This is why it is important to guard what goes on intimately between you and your spouse. There are things that cannot be shared, even the smallest details. Sometimes even sharing how your spouse buy roses for you regularly may be something your best friend may be desiring from her husband. So, your constantly mentioning roses receiving may be sparking up that jealousy on the inside of her.

We will be surprised what attention a spouse is not getting at home.Just because couple look good in the public eye does not mean all is well at the home front.

From experience in past relationship, I have shared having date night (with a close friend) every Saturday was something we did often was not a good idea to share. Although, she was married, she was jealous of the treatment I was receiving in my relationship.

Also, we must understand jealousy can be so deep in a persons heart that they will start praying against your marriage, inwardly hoping for a downfall. This should not be with Christians, but unfortunately it is. Some do not want your marriage to be a success.ore than ever

Today, more than ever, I am praying for marriages. I want to see whole successful that will be an example for all to see. Marriages does not have to end in divorce due to people being jealous and sowing seeds of discord. You can shut the door to the jealousy coming from those close to you. You do not have to partner with it. But,if you did experience divorce, don’t feel condemned because God is more than able to give you another try. Just know this time how to conduct your intimate details by keeping these things between you and your spouse. People, including those close to us, do not need to know everything, so use wisdom.

The root word in the Greek is zelos, from which the word zeal is derived. It may have either a good or a bad connotation, depending on the context. In Gal. 3:20 it is used in the bad sense – that of envious rivalry. Vine says, ‘jealousy desires to have the same or the same sort of thing for itself.’ Barclay says, ‘zelos could denote a
great thing which degenerated into a sin.’ To observe the achievements of another can stir within one the desire to ’emulate’ or ‘imitate’ with a view to achieving the same worthwhile thing in oneself. But if the same ambition, good at first, should provoke to a bitter resentment then zelos becomes a work of the flesh. This deterioration of zeal is not the work of the Spirit but of the flesh.”

[J.Wiley Adams]

Jealousies, also translated emulations, is the feeling of ill will at the good fortune of another. It is destructive of personal relations and individual happiness. This pain
springs not from the fact that the beholder does not possess the fine thing (a possession, an honor, a characteristic, etc); it springs from the fact that the
other person does. [www.bible.ca/expository]

*But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. [James 3:14;15]

*For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
[James 3:16]

*You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
[James 4:2;3]

*Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? [Proverbs 27:4]

*For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
[1 Corinthians 3:3]

*For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
[Proverbs 6:34]

*For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.
[2 Corinthians 12:20]