Remedies For Jealousy

1. Recognize that jealousy is rooted in immature and selfish desires. Paul wrote, "When you are jealous of one another and divide up into quarreling groups, doesn’t that prove you are still babies, wanting your own way? In fact, you are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord at all." (I Cor. 3:3)

2. Determine to love people in a way that precludes feelings of jealousy. Paul wrote, "Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud." (I Cor. 13 :4)

3. Realize that jealous feelings only do harm to oneself. David wrote, "Never envy the wicked! Soon they fade away like grass and disappear. Trust in the Lord instead. Be kind and good to others; then you will live safely here in the land and prosper, feeding in safety."(Psa. 37: 1-3)

4. Avoid all forms of covetousness. Moses wrote, "Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s wife, house, field, male servants, female servants, his ox, or his donkey, or any thing that belongs to your neighbor. (Deut. 5:21) For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." (James 3:16) Jealousy can do great damage to your prayer life. James wrote, "When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think that the scriptures says without reason that the spirit He jealously longs for the spirit that he made to live in us?" (James 4:3-5)

5. Find your contentment, satisfaction and pleasure in the Lord not by comparing yourself to others. David wrote, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way." (Psa. 37:7)

6. Do not admire the wicked whom the Lord abhors. David wrote, "For the wicked boasts in his heart’s desires, and blesses the covetous, whom the Lord abhors." (Psa. 10:3)

7. Jealousy and envy spoils one’s own pleasure. Solomon wrote, "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness ofthe bones." (Prov. 14:30)

8. Jealousy and envy are highly destructive to one’s relationships. Solomon wrote, "Wrath is cruel and anger is outrageous, but who is able to stand before envy?" (Prov. 27:4)

9. Jealousy and envy are vain efforts. Solomon wrote, "Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit." (Eccl. 4:4)

10. We are commanded to stop all forms of jealousy and envy for our own good. Paul wrote, "Let us not desire vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another." (Gal. 5:26)

11. Avoid the companionship of jealous or envious people. Solomon wrote, "Be not envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them." (Prov. 24: 1)

12. Telling the truth is healthy preventative medicine for jealousy. James wrote, "But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth." (James 3: 14) No one knows all the facts of another person’ s situation.

13. The fear of the Lord is preventative medicine for jealousy. Solomon wrote, "Let not your heart envy sinners: but live in the fear of the Lord all day long. For surely there is an end; and your expectations will not be cut off." (Prov. 23: 17,18)

14. Concentrate on accomplishing what you can do for God and do not worry about other’s responsibilities. Paul wrote, "Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth." (I Cor.10:24)

15. Focus on seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness and you will be less tempted toward jealous feelings. Luke wrote, "Jesus said to His disciples, ’Therefore I say to you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on. The life is more than meat and the body is more than clothing. (Luke 12:22,23)