How Not To Be Unhappy For The Rest Of Your Life (part 2): Jealousy Is Killing You.

TO START:

How excited are you to talk about jealousy tonight on a scale of 1 to 10?

What is the stupidest thing you've ever been jealous of? Go around the room and have everyone share. This is a time to laugh. :)

 

DISCUSS:

On Sunday we said, "Something good happening to someone else isn't something bad happening to you." We can probably all agree that's true, but does it FEEL like it's true? If not, why do you think that is?

Name three reasons why we should be excited for others (especially brothers and sisters) when they experience good things.

What makes us jealous (hint: it's not other people having what you want)? What factors, circumstances contribute to us being jealous? Do certain seasons of life result in you being more tempted to feel jealous? What is it about those seasons that stirs us to jealousy?

Does time spent on social media (facebook, instagram) inspire jealousy in you? What practical boundaries might you need to put up to prevent jealousy from taking hold?

Does jealousy ever result in something good? Make a list of possible negative results of jealousy. What might it lead to?

Have you ever seen jealousy ruin a relationship? What happened? How might it have been avoided?

Let's make a plan to stop jealousy in our lives. What do we need TO DO? What practical steps can we take to guard our hearts against jealousy?

Consider the following quotes. Discuss/reflect on any you find interesting/true/helpful.

  • "In jealousy there is more self-love than love."  ~François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Maxims, 1665
  • "Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own."  ~Harold Coffin
  • "Envy is the most stupid of vices, for there is no single advantage to be gained from it." ~Honore de Balzac

 

SCRIPTURE:

Read Genesis 30:1-24. Before you read, have someone who knows explain the relationship between Rachel and Leah and Jacob.

  • Who is jealous in this passage?
  • What kind of behavior does jealousy lead to? Would you say this situation is out of control?
  • Does the jealousy stop when Rachel gets a child? Can jealousy be satisfied?

 

PRAYER:

The best ways to beat jealousy are to 1. give thanks for what you have and 2. celebrate what others have. In prayer tonight with your group, share blessings. Thank God out loud for what He's given you AND what he's given your friends.

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