October 31: EVERYTHING IS YOURS!

Sharon Campbell-Danvers 
Kings Seventh-day Adventist Church 

 NOT EVERYTHING IS YOURS!

NOT EVERYTHING IS YOURS!

Key Text: Romans 12:15 (KJV)

“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”

Have you ever noticed how difficult it can be for some people to genuinely celebrate another person's success?

Someone receives a promotion, and instead of congratulating them, the criticism begins. Someone is selected for a position, and suddenly others are questioning their qualifications. Someone receives recognition, an opportunity, or a blessing, and instead of rejoicing, people begin finding faults.

Some even go further. They speak negatively about the person, attempt to undermine their efforts, or try to convince others that they could have done a better job.

But here is something we need to remember.

NOT EVERYTHING IS YOURS!

Every opportunity was not designed for you. Every position does not have your name on it. Every assignment is not yours to fulfil.

And that is perfectly fine!

Someone else's success does not mean you have failed.

Sometimes we become so focused on what God has allowed another person to receive that we overlook what He has already placed in our own hands.

We compare gifts, opportunities, abilities, and achievements. Before long, jealousy begins replacing gratitude, and competition takes the place of genuine Christian fellowship.

Romans 12:15 encourages us to rejoice with those who rejoice.

Notice that Scripture does not say to rejoice only when we are receiving the same blessings!

Can you celebrate someone else's breakthrough while you are still waiting for yours?

Consider David and Jonathan. Jonathan was King Saul's son and could have viewed David as a threat to his future. Yet Jonathan loved David and supported him, even when it became clear that David would become king (1 Samuel 23:16–17).

What a beautiful example of friendship without selfish competition!

Jonathan understood something we sometimes forget.

You do not have to destroy another person's future to have value in your own.

God has given different gifts, abilities, and opportunities to different people. Our journeys will not always look alike, and our seasons of advancement may not arrive at the same time.

The fact that someone else has received an opportunity does not mean every door has closed for you.

Your opportunity may still be ahead, but don't allow jealousy to spoil the season you are in.

And let us be careful about our attitudes. Bitterness, gossip, and attempts to sabotage others can damage relationships, destroy trust, and distract us from developing our own abilities.

In that sense, we can become obstacles to our own progress.

Sometimes the greatest barrier to our growth is not another person's success, but our response to it.

So celebrate others sincerely. Encourage them. Pray for them. Give credit where it is due.

And while you are celebrating, continue preparing for the responsibilities and opportunities that may come your way.

There is room for different gifts, different assignments, and different paths.

You don't have to dim someone else's light for yours to shine.

Remember:

NOT EVERYTHING IS YOURS! But that does not mean God has nothing wonderful for you.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, remove jealousy, bitterness, and selfish competition from my heart. Teach me to celebrate others sincerely and appreciate the gifts You have given me. Help me trust Your timing, develop my abilities, and remain faithful to my own responsibilities. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Reflection

Can you genuinely celebrate someone else's success, even when you are still waiting for your own opportunity?

Examine your attitude towards someone who has recently succeeded. Today, offer sincere encouragement and thank God for the gifts and opportunities already entrusted to you.

Remember: Someone else's blessing is not evidence that God has forgotten you. Their journey is theirs, and yours is yours.

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Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), unless otherwise indicated. Brief hymn excerpts, where included, are used for devotional reflection. All hymn copyrights remain the property of their respective authors, composers and publishers.