A Covetous Attitude

     This week we've been studying covetous attitudes. At this point in my life, it's not a huge struggle for me. We're at the point where we are making sacrifices to do what we feel is best for our family.  However, I did learn and realize somethings that I hadn't thought about before. It also gave me perspective in some different areas of my past and it helped me make peace with them.

     MacDonald says that "Covetousness is wanting wrong things, wanting right things for the wrong reasons, wanting right things at the wrong time, and wanting right things in wrong amounts." Wanting things is not wrong until you give in to it. Wanting something you can't afford isn't necessarily wrong, but if you dwell on it and do whatever it takes to get it, then it becomes covetousness. When your desire becomes an obsession, it becomes coveting.

     Money talks. The way we earn, spend, and save money says a lot of the priority it has in our life. MacDonald points out that one gauge of our spiritual maturity is how we handle money. One thing I really admire about my husband is he is a very generous man. He is willing to make sacrifices financially himself to help out others who are in a lesser position financially than we are. There are many days he comes home and tells me he gave money to someone. Even when he's given when we really didn't have the money ourselves, God has blessed us and provided because of Joshua's generosity.

     When it comes to money and possessions, more is not better. I learned this first hand a long time ago. With more money and possessions comes more grief and worries. My most contented times in life have been when we've had just enough for our needs. Gathering up and holding onto possessions is foolish. We've begun slowing going through our possessions and getting rid of things. Every one in my house has way more than they need. Lots of time our possessions are collecting dust or just making the house messy because they are everywhere. We're keeping things that are consistently used or have deep sentimental value. Everything else goes. We've started with our things and we'll end with the boys. Hopefully, having seen us giving up our things will make it a little easier for them to give up their things as well.

     Where our treasure is, is where our heart is. One thing my miscarriage has shown me is Jesus is everything. I had said once before that I didn't know what I would do if I lost child. Well I lost my baby, and I still have Jesus to carry me through this grief. At the end of the day Jesus is what I need. Not money. Not possessions. Not friendships. Not family. Not even children. Just Jesus. I'm on the road to healing because of Jesus, not because of anything or anyone else in my life. I'm at a place where Jesus is my treasure. He gets me out of bed in the morning, gives the strength to live each day, and helps me rest peacefully at night. I'm surrounded by so many people the Lord is using to love me and help me through this grief, but even if I was all alone in this, Jesus is all I need.

     Coveting is seeking satisfaction outside of Christ. Satisfaction can't be found anywhere else because only Jesus satisfies.  Everything else will only send you looking elsewhere for what will be enough.  Only Jesus is enough.

"Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 

where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:20-21 (NASB)