This is the 1st of 4 devotions
with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:4
with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:4
"Love Is Not Jealous”
COUNTERACTING JEALOUSY
by
Kent Clifford Cooley
by
Kent Clifford Cooley
(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:4)
The day after graduation from high school, I left home to travel with an evangelist. I look back at this season of my life as training and probably learned more life lessons than if I had spent the next four years in a university. I remember one particular test concerning the ugly green monster of envy and jealousy.
The evangelist I traveled with went to India for a month and this gave me the opportunity to hold my own revivals. Another young man traveling with us was about five years younger than me and was also holding meetings during this time. We agreed to invite each other to our meetings as our schedules permitted.
It was my revival and this young preacher came to help me because he didn’t have a meeting scheduled. It was apparent after the first couple of nights that the people liked him more than me. As I contemplated what to do, my thoughts were that this young man was loud and energetic but he was shallow. My content is much deeper and meaningful.
Thinking these thoughts, this is what rose up in me, “This is my revival! I will just let him help me in the altar service tomorrow night.” Almost immediately, my heart examined this conclusion and said, “That is jealousy!” I made a decision right then that I was going to promote him. I would prefer him and lead worship for him and give him the pulpit to preach as God led him. And I did exactly that.
Jealousy tried to take root in me that night many years ago. Because I rejected jealousy and chose to walk in love, I overcame it and to this day, I have never had a problem with jealousy. It has been my constant practice since that revival in to prefer others. I do feel jealousy from time to time but I react the same way. I prefer and promote the person I feel jealousy toward. It is my experience that those counteractions against jealousy actually stir up the love of God in me toward them. The counteractions of love push out the jealousy.
Father, thank you for life lessons. Thank you for teaching me to prefer and promote others when the feelings of envy and jealousy try to take root in me.
© LoveWalkPublishing
Devotion authored by KentCliffordCooley
LOVE THROUGH ME
Devotion: Counter Acting Jealousy
(Adapted from John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13:4)
Verse:
Love is not jealous
Love is not envious
Love is not self seeking
Love seeks not it’s own (Repeat)
Chorus:
Every thought, every deed,
Every moment love through me
Every word that I speak,
Every moment love through me
Bridge:
Father, You loved this world so much,
You gave Your only son
I receive Your love
And I love each one You love
© LoveWalkMusic
WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley
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