Her dream was to be a musician, so when Tilly Dillehay first heard her sisters perform together at a coffee shop, she was stunned. Their talent was undeniable. Their performance beautiful. And as Tilly listened that night, another – most unwelcome – sensation made itself known. Envy.
It took her a while to call it that. To understand that’s what it was. But now she’s found practical hope to battle it, and she’s passing it along to others in her new book Seeing Green.
“With art and artistry, whether they’re painting or writing or making music – whatever they’re doing – they’re telling stories. That’s what they’re really doing. They’re saying something about the nature of the world, and if you are a Christian, you’re telling stories that hopefully are true stories. You’re fighting on the team of truth.”
“So when you meet someone else on the same team, that just may be better at it than you are, your response, if you have the real, long term battle in mind, will be a different perspective.”
With that foundation laid, Tilly shares some first steps to battling back against envy. She says choosing to love those we envy can be a huge step one.
“I talk about things you can do to kind of fake love until you make it! Loving that person you’re envying. One of the ways would be to gaze at the glory. Gaze at whatever it is they’re doing that bothers your flesh so much. And look at it without turning your head away as you’re tempted to. And praise them to their faces for it, and let them know that you see it and that you’re praising God for it.”
Tilly Dillehay tackles one of our toughest spiritual opponents in her new book Seeing Green. She shares her story of battling envy & finding practical hope in the struggle. Tilly writes with her husband at justinandtilly.com and contributes to The Gospel Coalition. She hosts The Green Workshop at local churches, having a conversation with women on the topic of envy.
On the Road with Tilly Dillehay
