"Envy" by Bob Sorge -- Chapter One

So, one of my recent visitors, Jill, brought me a few little presents from my favorite bookstore friend, Janet, back home at my church's bookstore. I think I squealed a little when she brought them out of her suitcase! Let's see what did my Janet send me? Oooo! "Idoleyes" by Mandisa! I really wanted that one! And what else? Neat! Carol Kent's newest book. I love Carol Kent! And what else? "Envy" by Bob Sorge?!?! Does my sweet friend, Janet, think I have need a book on envy? Jill assured me that Janet said to tell me she didn't send it because she thought I needed it but because it was the latest most popular selling book in the bookstore. I guess I'll try to believe Jill. But, being the transparent person that I am, I won't lie that I don't ever struggle with envy!

Anyway, this little book packs some whopper punches as early as chapter 1. In fact, Sorge asserts, that envy "killed the Body of Jesus Christ when He came to this planet the first time, and it is still killing it today." Wow. Now that's a sobering thought. Sorge defines envy as "the internal pain we feel over someone else's success." That makes it sound really ugly doesn't it? Who in the world wants to admit that they might wish for someone else's failure? But we're all envious. And Sorge identifies some key attitudes to prove his point. You might have a problem with envy if:

• You are not fully established and at rest in your identity in Christ.
• You have insecurites that have not been fully healed through the power of His grace.
• You are ungrateful for what God has given you. His gifts are not enough for you; you also what what He's given another.
• You are striving against God's sovreignty and wisdom by questioning His giving differing gifts and endowments of grace to both you and a brother or sister.
• Your heart is motivated at a fundamental level by self-interest, self-preservation, and self-promotion. You cannot fully celebrate a brother or sister's successes because of underlying feelings of competition or ambition in your soul.
• When all your energies should be focused upon the war against the enemy of our souls, some of your energy has been diverted to struggling over the success of your fellow believers.
• Since envy, when it is full-grown culminates in murder, you have the seeds of murder within your own heart.
• Your carnality is impeding the unity of the body of Christ --the unity that is central to the Bride's preparation. Hence, part of you is hindering, instead of hastening, Christ's return.

OUCH. Yes, several of these I must admit to. Since beginning this little book, I have definitely become aware of more darkness in my own soul than I'd like to admit. I'll continue to post more on each chapter as time allows, but I do highly recommend this book even as early as chapter 1.