DATE POSTED
Saturday, June 27, 2026, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa Apartment Homes, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Feel free to read the following scripture verses in your own Bible.

Galatians 5:25-26 ~ If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Then we won’t need to look for honors and popularity, which lead to jealousy and hard feelings. (TLB)

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 ~ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (NIV)

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I hope you’ve taken a moment to read the verses referenced above, as they’ll help you better grasp the context of this devotional.

When most of us reflect on the times we felt most consumed by jealousy, our minds quickly drift back to our dating years. We might recall being unkind to a partner out of insecurity, leaving wounds that took a long time to heal. Yet, if we are honest, jealousy and the hurt it causes don’t magically vanish in adulthood; we can easily think of moments later in life where those same ugly feelings reared their heads.

These memories sadly remind us of how our lives were Before Christ. But for those who believe in Jesus, we can gratefully look back and see how He has dealt with the pride in our lives. In its place, He has created a clean, humble heart that concentrates on love rather than envy. Often, fellow believers will pour out love on us simply because the Holy Spirit within them provokes them to love others just as Jesus first loved us.

While it is painful to recall and share those seasons of jealousy, I truly cannot restrain myself from praising God for the countless occasions where others have shown the love of Christ to my family and me. It prompts me to thank Him for His utter goodness. In those moments, I can only step back and remark, “It has to be God. Only God.”

When I consider my own life Before Christ, a specific memory immediately comes to mind. Years ago, my girlfriend’s (now wife’s) church was hosting a Gospel Sing after their evening service. Wanting to surprise her, I drove over after my own church service ended, excited to enjoy the music with her. However, her ex-boyfriend saw me walking toward the building. Much to my girlfriend’s surprise, he quickly went and sat right next to her.

Seeing the situation as I walked in, I decided to do the “gentlemanly” thing and give her space—while internally assuming that maybe I cared more about our relationship than she did. Driven by a teenage, immature, and jealous attitude, I could hardly wait for the service to end so I could bolt toward the front door and clear out, to give her space. Looking back, jealousy completely shrouded the actions of both that ex-boyfriend and me! But fortunately, I won the prized angel of my life, and we celebrated 50 years of marriage late last year!

Each of us can likely think of multiple times when we were either bitter with jealousy or deliberately made someone else jealous by our actions. Satan smiles at this because it gives him a perfect opportunity to dig in and cause us to sin in our fits of rage or envy.

But thank God for life After Christ.

After my encounter with the Lord Jesus – where I believed in Him with all my heart and surrendered my life to His Lordship – I adopted Philippians 3:13 as my anthem: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…” I am convinced, and I highly recommend, that we never give Satan a foothold by allowing the unfortunate experiences of our past to impact our lives today.

As believers, we have a perfect life example set before us by the Lord Jesus, and His Words imprinted on our hearts, provoking us to keep our eyes fixed on Him, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Because we are still walking this earth, God even prepared in advance for the temptations that would come our way. He placed the Holy Spirit inside of us to guide and encourage us to live this new life in the fear and honor of our Master.

Please allow me to remind you today: stay in the Word, and have a little talk with Jesus as often as you can, showing Him just how much of a priority He is to you. Think about it: one part of the Trinity (Jesus) died for the forgiveness of our sins, one part (The Holy Spirit) lives inside us to guide our daily paths, and one part (God the Father) stands ready to receive us into His wonderful kingdom for all eternity. Is there anything that can separate us from the love of our God?

I pray that you have secured your trust in Jesus today. I hope the excitement is building in your heart every single day for the moment we will finally see Him and worship around the throne of our Father forever.

It just don’t get any better than that, dear ones.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, create in me a clean and humble heart that chooses love over comparison and envy. Forgive me for the times I let jealousy dictate my actions, and thank You for the grace that covers my past. Holy Spirit, guide my path today, keep my eyes fixed firmly on Jesus, and remind me never to give the enemy a foothold in my life. Thank You for Your overwhelming goodness and a love that will never let me go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I pray that one of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org, or if you choose, subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, as you will also find that option on this page. Friends, I encourage you to find a Bible teaching church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you invite God to work through you to bless them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!