WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SEPTEMBER 18, 2024
TOPIC: DON’T LET THE NEWS OF ANYONE’S SUCCESS MAKE YOU MISERABLE
BY T. O. BANSO
“Soon after this, Abraham heard that Milcah, his brother Nahor’s wife, had borne Nahor eight sons” (Genesis 22:20 New Living Translation).
Sometimes someone can be sad even when something bad has not happened to him or anyone else. He can begin to wonder what was responsible for the sudden change in his mood. He can begin to search himself to find out what went wrong. He can even wonder if it’s a sign that something bad will happen.
If the person reflects well on the sequence of events before his negative mood, he may find out that he received good news about someone. He could have heard about someone’s success or progress. Unconsciously, he began to compare himself with that person in his mind.
One key to unhappiness in life is comparison. People easily engage in this unaware. You are happy in life until you start comparing yourself with another person because of the good reports you’ve heard about him or the progress you’ve seen. Unfortunately, hardly such people acknowledge that they’re worried about the success of another or jealous of them. Why should you make yourself miserable because of another person’s progress?
Every Bible student knows the story of Abraham and how he and his wife were barren for many years despite the promise of God to make Abraham a great nation (Genesis 12:2). He had told Abraham he would become the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4-5). But Abraham never had any child other than Ishmael whom he had through Hagar, his wife’s maid, after many years of waiting for the promise of God before another promise in Genesis 17:4-5.
However, God assured them they would still give birth to a child He had promised them. He said He would bless Sarah and give Abraham a son by her. He promised that Sarah would be a mother of nations and kings of peoples shall be from her (Genesis 17:16).
Abraham laughed at the promise of God because he and his wife were old (Genesis 17:1, 17). Nevertheless, God said, “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year” (Genesis 17:19-21 New King James Version).
At last, Abraham and Sarah had Isaac, their first child together, after not less than 25 years if we calculate from when Abraham was 75 years old in Genesis 12 where God’s promise of making him a great nation is first mentioned.
Years later, God tested Abraham and told him to go and offer Isaac as a burnt offering to Him and he passed the test. God stopped him at the point of killing Isaac. Because of Abraham’s loyalty and obedience to God, He blessed him again (Genesis 22:1-19). After this, and when Abraham had just one child, Isaac, and another by her wife’s maid, making two, the Bible says in Genesis 22:20, “Soon after this, Abraham heard that Milcah, his brother Nahor’s wife, had borne Nahor eight sons” (New Living Translation). Please note this scripture. In other words, Abraham heard of the success of Nahor’s family in childbearing. Compare that with Abraham’s situation over the years. If we follow the sequence of presentation of these accounts, Abraham still had only two children then. Yet, his brother already had twelve children. The names of Nahor’s eight sons and the additional four from his concubines are listed in verses 21-22.
If you were Abraham, how would you feel hearing this news as Abraham did? Would your mood change? Would you feel sad or rejoice at the news? Or would you be sulking and become sorry for yourself? Would you feel that the Lord has failed you? Would that negatively affect your relationship with your brother and his family?
The Bible does not tell us who was older between Abraham and Nahor but Abraham is mentioned first before Nahor among Terah’s three children. This may or may not be because he was the oldest (Genesis 11:26). Whereas verse 29 says that Abraham and Nahor got married, sadly, verse 30 tells us that Sarai, Abraham’s wife, was unable to get pregnant. That suggests that Nahor’s wife didn’t have that problem.
All the years that Abraham was trusting God for a child, Nahor didn’t have this problem. As we have seen, at the time Abraham had two children, his brother already had twelve. Abraham and Sarah could have become jealous and developed a negative attitude because of this. But there is no record they did.
Don’t become jealous because you have received a good report about someone or you have received good news about anyone’s success. It doesn’t change the story or the report. It will only change you and make you miserable. That is the reason for some people’s sickness! He says he doesn’t know what is wrong with him. He is having headaches and stomach pain! No drug will work unless the person repents of jealousy.
Somebody’s success today does not cancel yours tomorrow. Learn to celebrate others. Rejoice at the success of other people; don’t go into an emergency fasting and prayer session out of envy. Feast with them now; don’t fast! There is a time for feasting and a time for fasting. God made them both!
Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (New King James Version). Some would rather weep (hypocritically) with those who weep but not rejoice with such people when they rejoice. They always wish that others weep and not rejoice! If that describes you, don’t ask me if you’re a witch or wizard! Beware and repent! Cain killed his brother, Abel, because of jealousy (Genesis 4). The chief priests handed Jesus over to be tried and crucified because of envy (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10).
John the Baptist said, “It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success” (John 3:29 New Living Translation). John neither engaged in any rivalry with Jesus nor was jealous of Him. Be filled with joy about other people’s success. Your turn will soon come.
Let’s go back to the story of Abraham. Abraham, who had only two sons and his brother had twelve, eventually had six other sons by his second wife, Keturah, after the death of Sarah (Genesis 25:1-2). Later, Isaac married Rebekah, the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. Genesis 25:5-6 says, “And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east” (New King James Version).
Don’t let anybody’s testimony in the church or anywhere else make you sad. Don’t become a witch or wizard! If that’s your attitude, you must repent. Some people are not failures in life, poor, or suffering but they cannot stand the news of something good happening to another person. They always feel that they are the only ones who must enjoy good things in life, receive a promotion, have successful children, etc. That’s not only selfishness but also wickedness. Such people must repent before this attitude destroys them. “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones” (Proverbs 14:30 New International Version). The New Living Translation says, “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.” Don’t let jealousy rot your bones.
James 3:14-16 says, “But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind” (New Living Translation).
Don’t let the news of anyone’s success or progress make you miserable. There could be people you started before who now appear to be ahead of you. Don’t be worried because of that. We are all running different races in life. Even if you’re in the same line of business, calling, or career, run in your lane.
That someone is ahead of you today does not mean you have failed or you’ll always be behind him. “I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time” (Ecclesiastes 9:11 New Living Translation).
God has different plans for everybody. The graphs of our lives cannot be the same. Don’t see life as a competition with others. Ecclesiastes 4:4 says, “Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind” (New Living Translation). Avoid this. You can’t enjoy your life if you’re jealous of others and competing with them. Don’t let the news of anyone’s success make you miserable.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I repent of jealousy or envy; Father, forgive me. Holy Spirit, help me not to engage in competition with anyone but run my race and run in my lane. I shall not let the news of anyone’s success make you miserable.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
