Covetousness

A meditation on Colossians 3

"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming." -Verses 5 and 6 

I want to focus specifically on covetousness because God has been teaching me a lot about contentment lately. At the root of covetousness (which is idolatry), we see:

• Distrust in God's power to provide
• Discounting the Word and approval of God
• A failure to see God as ALL-satisfying

In a state of discontentment, covetousness and lack of faith will feed each other. Wanting something is not inherently bad, but when a want becomes a need, we have a choice to make. We can ask God in prayer (If I truly need something, we will meet that need is His timing) OR we can distrust God and have a lack of faith. This leads to covetousness, thanklessness, and more sin

Covetousness looks through the narrow lens of my ability to provide and tends to assume that I am capable of getting anything I want on my own strength. In short, covetousness writes God out of the story. 

Covetousness also turns us into fools. When we see others who have the thing we covet, our sinful nature is gnawing and clawing to be released and settle the score. Our tongues, if left unchecked, will spew forth condemnation, comparisons, judgements and slander. Our minds will race to places they should not go, become enamored with people and things instead of Christ, and ruminate on the lies we have chosen to believe . . . Covetousness is believing the lie that our life would be better if we could just have what we want. Ironically, in the process of giving into our sinful nature, we end up more bitter, dis-content and destitute than when we began.

Instead, put on the things of Christ and "let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called to one body. And be thankful" (vs 15).