The Landmine of Covetousness

Ephesians 5:1-5

One of the best-concealed landmines in the life of a believer is covetousness. We tend to think the term simply describes a desire for an item belonging to another person, but it goes deeper than that. Covetousness is an intense yearning for something we do not have coupled with the belief that we will not be happy or satisfied until we get it.

When we are driven by an insatiable longing that distracts us from our relationship with God, then we are in danger - such intense craving is really a form of idolatry. Our preoccupation with satisfying the desire translates into our placing a higher value on the object than on God. That is the very nature of idol worship.

We all have desires of the heart, many of which are planted by God Himself; longings within the framework of His will are acceptable. There is nothing in the Bible that says it is wrong to want a nice house or a reliable car. God has a purpose, plan, and time worked out to meet our needs and supply legitimate wants. However, when we choose to fulfill a God-given desire in a way that is not in keeping with Hs will, we are guilty of covetousness.

The reason covetousness is so damaging is that it has no end. When we achieve one goal that we thought would satisfy, we discover that we are still not content. So we look to something else that we think will bring satisfaction. But nothing can bring peace and genuine contentment to our heart except a relationship with God.
The Consequences of Coveting

Exodus 18:17-21

People oftentimes develop a desire for something that is not in God's plan for them. When they fail to attain what their heart is set on, the desire can build into intense, unrelenting pressure.

Believers who are consumed by covetousness have ceased to depend on God. To reach our goals, we can manipulate circumstances because we have lost faith in the Lord's ability to know what is best and provide it. Such behavior indicates that we reject the sovereignty of God. Then fear fills our lives as we chase harder and harder after the things we desire.
The consequences of covetousness are painful. Our sensitivity to God weakens to the point that we cannot hear when He speaks to us. As we distance ourselves from Him, our envious attitude breeds ungratefulness. We can no longer be thankful for what we have, because our focus is on what we do not possess.

Covetousness leads to a life of tension and worry. Jethro wisely advised his son-in-law Moses to search for assistants who hated ill-gotten gain. These men were more interested in what God provided for them than in what they could acquire for themselves. If we want to be like the individuals Jethro described, we must focus on God's purpose for our lives. When we are sensitive to His voice, He will teach us to distinguish between desires falling within His will and those that lie beyond. As believers, we have the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us resist the lure of wrong desires. Covetousness does not have to be our downfall.