It’s really easy to categorize sin into big sins and little sins or important sins and insignificant ones.

God has nothing to do with that kind of thinking. God knows that sin is first and foremost a matter of the heart. Jesus said: “For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly” (Mark 7:21-22).

How do we get away from earthly thinking? How do we see that our behavior is a matter of the heart?

How do we deal with those “little sins” like anger, bitterness, and envy?

First, ask God to show you who you are and what he wants you to embrace or leave behind. As we sincerely invite God to inform our hearts and minds, we will begin to understand what really matters to Him.

Second, combating envy means seeing people through the eyes of God. Ask God to help you love others as He loves them. Ask Him to help you remove your envy and jealousy of other’s good fortunes.

Third, emphasize the character of God. Our envy often comes because we don’t trust God. We believe we know more about life than He does.

Let your prayer and devotional life be about God, His wisdom, and his goodness.

Fourth, learn to be thankful in all things. Again and again, the Apostle Paul encouraged believers to express gratitude to God. Paul saw God in his greatness. He recognized that God is looking out for our best. Since God works in all things – the large and the small as well as that which we don’t understand – we can trust Him to do good for us.

Begin today to put these things into practice, especially expressing thanks for God’s goodness and blessings. A life of giving thanks will be a blessing to you in many ways.

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