31 Jul Summer of Psalms | Week 5 “Escaping Envy” | New England

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Key Verse: Psalm 73

Envy can really wreck our lives.  We are not immune to the spirit of envy, always comparing our lives to someone else.  

Psalm 73 was written by Asaph.  He does not like the way the wrong people are blessed.  There was a season he almost gave up his faith because he saw how good God was to those who didn’t deserve it.  There are two kinds of grace, common grace and saving grace.  Common grace is being good toward the unrighteous and the righteous. The sun rises for those we don’t like as well as those we like.  This is a picture of how good God is.  We don’t deserve our blessings.  Common grace is for everybody. Saving grace is the redeeming grace of God. Neither Common grace nor Saving grace can be earned.

What is Envy? (2 things)

1. Envy is WANTING someone else’s life.

2. Envy is RESENTING our life because of someone else’s life. 

Q. In what ways have you been envious?

The Effects of Envy:

1. Envy SUCKS the FUN out of life.

2. Envy SEVERES RELATIONSHIPS.

3. Envy SICKENS us.

Wars have been fought over envy, friendships have been severed, and marriages ended.  Envy makes us isolated by which we measure our lives by everyone else around us.  Depression is also rooted in envy.  Sin affects our physical life.  But, we are only happy when we do what God wants us to do.

Psalm 73:16 (ESV) Proverbs 14:30

4. ENVY SUFFOCATES our FAITH. 

Psalm 73:2–3 (NCV)

Q. How has being envious affected you?

The Psalms are there for us to work out our struggles with God. We can talk to him and be real with him.

A Self-Examination for Envy (Four Questions):

1. Why am I WATCHING?

Why are we watching them or that?

Psalm 73:1–3 (ESV)

Envy snuck up on Asaph when he started to praise God.  Asaph was a spiritual leader of Israel assigned to lead God’s people in praise everyday.  His job was to tell everyone how good God is.

1 Chronicles 16:37 (ESV); 1 Chronicles 25:2 (ESV)

Asaph was David’s spiritual prophet. He stopped focusing on what he was called to do and started obsessing over what everyone else was doing.

Q. Why might you be watching someone or something that is taking your focus off what God has called you to do?

1 Peter 2:4 (ESV); 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

God has called us to show the world that there is no one like Jesus Christ.  We have a job to do.

2. What am I REALLY SEEING?

When looking at others we are looking at a carefully crafted photo-shopped version of them. It takes our attention off of God’s goodness.  

Psalm 73:4–7 (ESV); Psalm 73:13 (ESV)

Tell-tale sign of envy: 

You compare someone’s OUTWARD PRESENTATION to your INWARD CONSTERNATION.

We know ourselves, we don’t know them.  We don’t know what it took to put all that performance together or what they are going home to.  We need to stop comparing their outward to our inward. 

Q. What gives you anxiety regarding someone else’s outward appearance (ie what you see on television, social media, or even neighbors, friends, or relatives…)?

Isaiah 40:7 (ESV); Isaiah 40:8 (ESV); Isaiah 40:30–31 (ESV)

People that love God and love His house, that are planted in the House of the Lord get better.  We will wither when we are not planted in His house. We uproot our source for life when we uproot ourselves from the Church. 

Psalm 92:12–14 (ESV)

Psalm 84:5, 7 (ESV)

Wickedness WITHERS me. Righteousness RENEWS me.

3. Am I DISCONNECTED from the FELLOWSHIP?

We need to be connected to God’s people.  

Psalm 73:15–17 (ESV)

If he took this to people instead of God he would have caused them to fail.  But he went into the house of God.  Sometimes we have to force ourselves to get ourselves into the House of God.

Ephesians 4:3 (NLT)

It takes effort to stay connected.  

Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)

The church is essential and we need to get there to experience it.  It is an assembly.

Q. What causes you to be disconnected from Church at times (attending, fellowship with believers etc..) ?

OR

Q. What might a time where you forced yourself to get to church or to fellowship with other believers?

4. Am I fully AWARE of how FAITHFUL God is to me?

Psalm 73:21–22 (ESV); Psalm 73:23–24 (ESV)

Q. What are some things you can share regarding God’s faithfulness to you?

The third part of the Psalm is about ‘You’, You God…

READ TOGETHER

Psalm 73:25–28 (ESV) Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

SUMMER CHALLENGE: Read through the Psalms