Let's Stop Being Competitors and Start Being Celebrators

Something that has been burdening my heart recently is the lack of celebration we give to fellow believers in the church. It is expected for nonbelievers to compete, envy, and become bitter when others succeed. But Christians? Have we really become so self-absorbed and insecure that we can't acknowledge when God moves in another believer's life?

I want to start by saying that self-ambition, jealousy, and competition are evil desires. Nowhere in God's character does He encourage us to live by these practices. Instead, James warns us against such behavior, "But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." (James 3:14-15).

It can be easy for us to fall prey to these desires. They are of our flesh, and if we don't control them, they will overtake us. Think about the story of Cain and Abel.

Both were Adam and Eve's sons.

Both worked in their own unique ways.

Both gave offerings to the Lord.

But one received favor and was exalted; whereas the other wasn't.

God warns Cain that if he allows his desires to manifest, they will overtake him.

I think it's easy for us to judge Cain and say, "well duh he shouldn't have been jealous, the guy didn't give his first fruits or fatty portions like his brother did."

But how many times do we see a brother or sister in Christ exalted, walking in their gifts/calling, or favored by the Lord and become envious of their favor because we aren't receiving the same treatment?

We judge, thinking we know everything they've sacrificed and surrendered and compare their life to ours. We become Cain, expecting God to give us what we want. We murdered our fellow Christian - maybe not physically - but through gossip, slandered, and hatred.

I want to preference that feeling jealous towards a brother or sister in Christ does not mean that you are walking in sin. It's what you do with those feelings that determines if you fall victim to Cain's depravity and allow those feelings to overtake you, or humble yourself under the power of Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to change you.

We all get jealous of fellow believers. It's NORMAL. But how we respond to our jealous tendencies reflects if we have competition or celebration in our hearts.

I love 1 Corinthians. Here you have a church walking in the spiritual gifts but can't seem to celebrate one another in them. Each believer wants to have their own favor and falls prey to jealousy when they see another believer walking in a gift they aren't fully mature in or is different from theirs. So relatable right?

But Paul corrects them by saying that God created His Church to not all be an eye, but function as many different parts, and that those who are less seen are actually more honorable than those who are seen more. Verse 26 is my favorite: "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

We often forget that we are on the same team, striving for the same goal. It isn't about which believer gets the opportunity, but that Christ is glorified through that believer.

"So what you're saying is I must humble myself and cheer for the believer who gets something I want?" Yes. As hard as it can be. From God's perspective, if one believer wins, we all win.

Ask yourself this: "If I was not chosen, would I celebrate the one who is?"

The answer to this question shows the condition of our hearts.

If your answer is "no I would not celebrate the one who was chosen." But you want to want to celebrate them, then pray: "God I recognize the selfish tendencies in my heart and repent for making it all about me and less about You. Please humble me and help me see that your glory is more important than my own. Help me celebrate fellow believers and have a heart that desires their up building more than my own."

Paul encourages us in 1 Corinthians 13 that without love we are, gain, and have nothing. Celebrating one another starts with loving one another first. We can't celebrate if we don't love, and we can't love if we don't celebrate.

As we enter the holiday season, I encourage you to pray and write down celebrating phrases about other believers - especially those who are walking in the ways you desire. Having those desires are not bad, but stewarding and waiting for God to bring them to pass is the difference between humility and pride. Today, you can choose to walk in humility and celebrate them rather than compete with your fellow teammate.