Better (W3D1) Envious
Week 3. Monday: Envious
PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word.
READ: Ecclesiastes 4:4
4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words
Begin by underlining nouns with a single line, double underline verbs, and circle descriptive words.
Make a list of the key words/phrases and think about what they mean.
Snapshot: In this passage Solomon says that all toil (trouble, stress, striving) and all achievement (success, profit, skill) stem from our envy of each other. We anxiously strive to attain what others have so we can feel successful and important. But Solomon tells us this is a meaningless way to live. As soon as we gain what others have they just get more things we don’t have. It’s just like chasing the wind.
Takeaway: Envy leads to a wasted life of chasing temporary happiness.
APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?
What are some things that make you envious of others? Why?
What are the negative consequences of envy?
What are some way you can guard yourself from envy?
PRAY: Ask God to help you not to be envious of those around you.
