There is room for everyone

Bottom line: One person’s accomplishment does not imply your failure.

Teaching

Many relationships are broken because one person gets jealous of the success of another. It may be a long-term friendship, or a family relative like a brother or a sister. Whatever the case, the devil has always sought to break such wonderful bonds by trying to get one person jealous of another. His trick is to convince one person that his friend’s accomplishments prove that he or she is not progressing in life.

Well, that is a big lie. The Bible tells us expressly to guard our hearts against such thoughts.

Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.

 Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

The Bible also says:

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 

Romans 12:15 (KJV)

As believers, the success of one is the success of all. This is the mindset of the saints. This is the mindset that we must have. Because only one law governs the body of the believers. That is the law of love. Jesus said:

³⁰ And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

³¹ And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 

Mark 12:30-31

Therefore, if you love God, you will love your friend as well. This means that what makes your friend or brother happy should make you happy as well. You will genuinely rejoice with them in the time of their celebration and stand with them in moments of tribulation. That is the way you express Christ to the world, by loving unconditionally.

Also, you must understand that we all are set by God to experience breakthroughs at different times. The progress you make with God on a personal level is the true measure of your advancement in life, not the achievement of others. Because you can’t advance with God without advancing in life. If you keep looking at others, you will be focusing on the wrong thing and you will be tempted by the devil to think ill of them continually. 

The Bible says:

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)

When you stay your mind on the Lord and keep your focus on him, you will have true peace and that feeling of dissatisfaction will leave your life.

God has made room enough for everybody. Today is their turn to celebrate. Celebrate with them. Tomorrow will be your turn. Hallelujah! 

Further Study

• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 [Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.]

Reflection

• Have you damaged a relationship because you felt dissatisfaction with the improvement of your friend?
• What can you do now to correct your error?
• Take the necessary steps today and rebuild the broken bonds and life will be more joyful for you.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to love my neighbor unconditionally. I receive forgiveness for every wrong thought and word I may have spoken against my loved ones because of envy. I declare that the joy of my brother has become my joy today in Jesus’ name. Amen.