Truth, Not Bitter Envy
But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. James 3:14 (nkjv)
We have learned all of our Christian lives that a wise person gets his or her strength and character from the Lord Jesus Christ. James 3:14 tells us that having bitter envy in our hearts is not from above, but from the Devil.
Earthly and demonic wisdom drives us toward self-centeredness. It makes us bitter and envious of others. Jealous envy and self-centeredness are rooted deep in the hearts of the unwise. It is never wise to be envious and to always think of ourselves over others. Selfish ambition can make us into people we do not want to become. This worldly wisdom tells us we deserve to have it all. God’s Word tells us that without Him we are sinners bound for hell. This worldly kind of thinking makes us bitter, envious, and arrogant.
When we tell one lie it can lead to others. We tell ourselves it’s just a little lie and it doesn’t hurt anyone. From these little lies more sinful things are planted or embedded in our hearts. Our hearts become rotten and black, and the only way to make them clean again is to cling to Jesus. We must fall on our knees, repent, and ask the Lord to take away the deceit that comes from Satan.
We have to realize that we have been duped by the Devil when we allow ourselves to be drawn down this road. Pride and arrogance in our hearts have been taken over by the Enemy. We justify our sinfulness by lying about what is true. James tells us not to boast and lie against the truth. When our relationship with Jesus is broken we twist the truth to make it fit into that slot. We manipulate the truth to justify our turning away from God. Our self-deception drags us away from God’s truth and our whole life will be distorted until we turn back to God’s truth.
Remember this from John 14:6: “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (hcsb).
Dear heavenly Father, I pray that You will take away any bitterness and arrogance that is within my heart. Always guide me in Your truth and grace. Amen.