Life Without Coveting
As believers, we are commanded not to allow covetousness to enter our lives, but we are to live in contentment with what we have.(Hebrews 13:5) This is a huge problem for some people, especially at Christmas. Please, let me try to help us with this basic temptation in our lives.
Covetousness springs from the belief that if we had a particular thing, our life would be better. Since we want the best life we can have, we think we have to have that thing, and we do whatever it takes to buy it or get it. Sometimes, we do this even to our own hurt by going into debt or deceiving others. Once we obtain this thing, we find that our life is still not complete, so we start looking for something else. It is a never ending cycle. However, there is a solution.
Realize that God is a Loving Father, who gives His children all they need to have the best life they can have. If we are content with what He gives us, and we use it well, we will be much more fulfilled in our lives than if we try to manufacture satisfaction on our own. In fact, the only thing that we need to be happy and fulfilled is the Lord and what He wants us to have. Therefore, if we will concentrate on knowing Him and being filled with His Spirit, we will have the joy of the Lord, which is better than any happiness things or people can give us. If we take what He gives us with a thankful heart and focus on Him first, we will have just what we need in life. Since He will never leave us, we will never want for anything we really need.(Psalm 23)
Tomorrow, I intend to read James 2-4.
Covetousness springs from the belief that if we had a particular thing, our life would be better. Since we want the best life we can have, we think we have to have that thing, and we do whatever it takes to buy it or get it. Sometimes, we do this even to our own hurt by going into debt or deceiving others. Once we obtain this thing, we find that our life is still not complete, so we start looking for something else. It is a never ending cycle. However, there is a solution.
Realize that God is a Loving Father, who gives His children all they need to have the best life they can have. If we are content with what He gives us, and we use it well, we will be much more fulfilled in our lives than if we try to manufacture satisfaction on our own. In fact, the only thing that we need to be happy and fulfilled is the Lord and what He wants us to have. Therefore, if we will concentrate on knowing Him and being filled with His Spirit, we will have the joy of the Lord, which is better than any happiness things or people can give us. If we take what He gives us with a thankful heart and focus on Him first, we will have just what we need in life. Since He will never leave us, we will never want for anything we really need.(Psalm 23)
Tomorrow, I intend to read James 2-4.