7 Ways to Replace Envy with Joy for Friends

Take some time to look back over your life and see where God has brought you, what He’s done and what He’s doing now. If you do this, you won’t have time to dwell on what others have. If you don’t dwell on what others have, you won’t develop feelings of jealousy.

7. Be Honest with Your Friend

If your friendship is strong and has endured hard times, then you should be able to discuss your feelings with them freely. If you can’t do this, then how strong is your relationship?

If you still find yourself leaning towards envy when it’s time to celebrate someone, remember the following:

-If God blessed your friend with their heart’s desires according to His will and riches, He will do the same for you.

-What goes around comes around. You don’t want your feelings of envy to come back to you.

-Let your joy for others motivate you to achieve your goals and receive the blessings God has for you.

-Remove your personal feelings. Don’t make a friend’s good news about you. Let them enjoy their moment and celebrate with them.

-Be sure of yourself. No one else is like you.

-God’s timing is best, and what He has for you is specifically for you. There is no need to envy what anyone else has.

-You have a different load to carry from your friend. This is why you have different blessings and responsibilities from them, and their responsibilities are different from yours.

-Acknowledge and address your feelings. If you’re feeling a little envious, admit it to yourself so you can move forward. If you’re having difficulty moving forward, confide in someone so they can help you work through your feelings.

As we continue on this journey called life, we will experience different emotions. With each experience, we must learn to reflect on why we feel the way we feel and grow from that knowledge. It is my prayer that you are never jealous of a friend’s fortunes. I pray that you see and celebrate the beauty and blessings of others, especially those you call friends. If you find yourself slipping into a mode of jealousy, find out why. It’s okay to celebrate someone else’s blessings. Honestly, when you think about it, when you celebrate someone’s blessings, you’re celebrating God’s goodness. And who doesn’t want to celebrate the goodness of the Lord? Life is filled with ups and downs. God places people, friends, in our lives to share both. Don’t ruin the blessings that are genuine friendships because you desire blessings that aren’t for you. You’ll miss out on your blessings, including good friends.