The Divine truth revealed in Scripture often runs counter to the world’s wisdom. We are commanded to love, yet how often do we allow destructive emotions to poison our hearts and hinder our spiritual growth?
The Apostle Paul offers a crystal-clear boundary in 1 Corinthians 13:4, the great chapter on love: “Love is not jealous.” This isn’t just a suggestion; it is a definitive statement. If our thoughts and actions are rooted in jealousy, they are, by definition, not rooted in Divine love. Jealousy is a spiritual dead-end. It consumes the soul, blinds us to our own blessings, and keeps us locked into the worst kind of competition: the fight against the success of our neighbor.
So, why do we allow this spirit to take root? It starts with believing a lie. The poisonous fruit of jealousy grows from a much deeper, unholy root: the spirit of lack. When we truly grasp the nature of the Divine, we understand that we live in a universe of infinite abundance and provision. The Creator provides and creates limitlessly, as promised in 2 Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” To believe there isn’t enough success, happiness, opportunities, or resources to go around is to fundamentally doubt the power and generosity of the Creator. It is a subtle but devastating betrayal of faith. If you believe in lack, you are driven by a need to hoard, compare, and fight. This is where competition is born—a frantic scramble for what is perceived as a limited pie. But the Divine is the author of the feast; the table is always set and the provisions are inexhaustible. Our competition is simply the spiritual evidence that we have forgotten this essential truth.
The spirit of lack doesn’t just breed competition; it also fuels division and judgment. When we operate from this scarcity mindset, we begin to decide who is “worthy” of success and who is not. We find ourselves subtly—or overtly—wishing for the downfall of others, especially those who look different, think differently, or whose life path we don’t understand. This mindset can lead us to categorize our fellow human beings as “undeserving” or, in the most painful and inaccurate language, “illegal.” We must stand firm on this Divine truth: Every single human being is created with the Spirit of the Divine within them. This makes every person infinitely valuable and fundamentally equal. There is no hierarchy of worth. To be jealous of another is to question the Divine blueprint for their life and the Divine spark that resides within them. As it says in Galatians 5:26, “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” When we understand that we are all extensions of the same Divine essence, we recognize that their success is tied to ours.
So, now I bet you are thinking, “What about ‘Healthy Competition?'” Many of us were raised on the idea of “healthy competition,” but I submit to you today that the term is truly an oxymoron. The very nature of competition is to strive against another person to win a limited prize, which requires wishing the other person fails to some degree. Can an intention to see someone stumble truly be rooted in the love commanded by the Divine? I don’t believe so. The Divine Way is not to compete, but to collaborate and celebrate. When you choose to wholeheartedly root for another person’s success, you are doing more than just being a good sport—you are affirming the principle of abundance. You are declaring that their gain does not necessitate your loss. Their success raises the energetic frequency for everyone, creating more opportunities and breakthroughs for all. When one of us rises, we all have the potential to rise. When you cheer them on, you are also cheering for the collective good, which includes your own inevitable, Divine-ordained success. We must always be rooting for the other person, because by rooting for another, we are truly cheering ourself on!
Dear Reader, let us step off the treadmill of scarcity. Let us trade the spirit of jealousy for the gift of admiration. Let us exchange competition for collaboration. Our worth is not found in comparison; it is secured in our unbreakable connection to the Divine. There is no need to fight for a sliver of the pie when the Divine has provided a limitless feast for all. When we operate from abundance, our lives shift from a battleground to a beautiful celebration. The next time you feel that familiar pang of jealousy or a competitive urge arise when seeing someone else’s success, I urge you to stop. Don’t let the thought take root. Instead, consciously bless the person and pray for their greater success and fulfillment. Then, declare the truth of the universe: “There is more than enough. My abundance is guaranteed by the Divine, and their success creates space for mine.” This simple practice re-wires your spirit from lack to abundance, allowing you to walk in the freedom of Divine love.