There's a verse in Galatians where God says to the people he's writing to, "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?"

 

I could see myself on the sidelines, feeling like I was helpless to get back into the race set before me. I could see myself benched by my issues and wondering why it was so hard to start back up again. And then God comes walking up to me, bending down to ask, "What happened, dear? You were doing so well. What got in the way?" 
 
Envy. I knew in an instant that was the thing in the way.
 
Envy stole so much from me. And honestly, I allowed it. I kept the door open for Envy for a long time, and I handed it the keys to my life every new morning. 
 
And here's the thing: when you allow Envy to creep into one area of your life, it will stop at nothing to spread to more areas. You will suddenly be envious of things you never imagined you'd even care about. Envy is a super spreader like no other.
 
The first step in dealing with this sprawling killer of our joy is opening our eyes to recognize how deep it is rooted, how real it feels, and how toxic it makes our thought process.
 
So if that's you today, and you are stuck with that green monster, I'm going to offer you the only thing I know how to deliver when it comes to the hard stuff in life: a prayer. Start by stealing this honest prayer and saying it over your tired spirit in the week ahead:
 
Dear God, I am envious. There, I admit it. I don't desire to be this way. I don't want to keep feeling this way. I am so tired of feeling stuck and lifeless, and hateful towards the blessings of others. I'm ready to change something, but I need your help. I cannot do this without you. I don't even want to try. Please help me see the depth of my issue, and together, let's draw a line in the sand. I want my life back from the clutches of Envy. I'm ready to come free.