🌿 Jealousy, Fear, and the Father’s love

We speculate about the root of evil, but only God knows where brokenness truly originates. Yet one thing is clear: jealousy, though not the main character in the downfall of the world, is a powerful sidekick.

I have never been jealous of anyone—except once. When I read about Abraham in Genesis and saw the relationship he had with God, I felt a pull. I remember whispering, “Why don’t You talk to me the way You talk to him?” And I think that question might have made God smile. Because what began as jealousy became intimacy.

God became more than friend. He became the Lover of my soul (Song of Songs 2:16). In His arms, I can unravel, be wild, even unstable—and yet He remains the friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). I am His daughter, His friend, His beloved. If your prayer seems delayed, know this: He is busy with me. While many bring Him bills, I bring Him love. His needs matter to me. I cannot carry His cross, but I can ask, I can offer, I can draw near so He will draw near to me (James 4:8).

Jealousy led me deeper into His presence. But outside of Him, jealousy often leads to destruction. Its root is fear. And fear, I believe, is the true root of evil. Fear makes us lose control, and in our desperate attempt to reclaim it, we lash out, hurt, and destroy. Yet scripture reminds us: “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).

So if you’re struggling with jealousy today, find someone or something to love. Love a dog or a cat, choose the bear, whatever—but know this: the root of a jealous or envious heart is a heart that refuses to love, or has never been loved.

But because we are His, we can overcome (Romans 8:37). We can choose to focus on Him, delight in His will (Psalm 37:4), and celebrate one another. It is God who exalts; rest assured in His love for you, He will lift you up in due time. You can live (John 10:10) with confidence, knowing that God is a Father, and a Father’s love runs deeper than we know.

Fathers may not always show love the way mothers do—perhaps because their hearts carry a different kind of vulnerability for their children—but after all is said and done, God loves you, and you belong to Him.