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There is a sin that hardly ever gets mentioned anymore. We talk about sexual sin, morally reprehensible sins, anger, and a little about pride, lust, and hypocrisy. The accepted sin that we understand sneaks in. It is covetousness.
It is that restless hunger for more.
More money.
More attention.
More recognition.
More of what someone else has.
We call it drive, ambition, or success. But Jesus called it what it really is. He said,
“Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
Covetousness looks normal and hides behind goals and dreams. But it says to God, “What You have given me is not enough.” Therein lies the danger.
The Deeper Issue
Covetousness is not only about wanting more. It is about forgetting who we already are.
When you know you are loved, you stop reaching for what is not yours. Once accepted, you no longer need to prove yourself. When you know you are complete in Christ, you stop trying to fill the emptiness with something else.
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”
That means nothing is missing. You already are enough because He is enough.
The real problem is not desire itself. It is saying, “You are still lacking.” That is where covetousness is born. Every time we reach for something outside of God’s will to make ourselves feel whole, we are saying in our hearts, “Christ is not enough for me right now.”
That is the heart of the sin. And the cure is not guilt. The cure is grace.
When Leaders Forget
The Bible tells us about a man named Diotrephes who
“loveth to have the preeminence.”
He did not just want to serve God; he wanted people to see him serving God.
That same spirit still shows up today. We compare ministries, chase numbers, and crave recognition. We say it is for the kingdom of God, though underneath, we want to be noticed.
When leaders covet what others have, ministry turns into competition. Attention moves away from Jesus to ego. From grace to performance. From shepherding to self-promotion.
Underneath it all is the same wound. It is a heart that has forgotten how loved it is.
If I do not know that I am secure in Christ, I will always need more. More applause, affirmation, and more proof that I matter. But once I know I am His, and He is mine, I can rest.
Grace heals the grasping heart.
What Is Really Going On
Covetousness is more than greed. It is distrust. It says, “God, I do not believe You will take care of me.”
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
When you stop trying to fill your life with more, you see what is already there. Peace. Grace. Love. Forgiveness. Friendship. The silent happiness of His presence.
Desire Redirected
The problem is that our desire has gone in the wrong direction. God created you to long for Him. But our desires turn toward self instead of toward Him; they become idols that never satisfy.
Every time we covet, we are trying to fill a God-shaped space with something that does not fit.
When our hearts turn back toward Him, gratitude replaces comparison. Joy replaces envy. Rest replaces striving.
The moment you realize that you already have in Christ what you have been chasing everywhere else, that is when freedom begins.
The Way Back
Covetousness always ends in disappointment. You finally get what you wanted, and somehow it still is not enough.
That is why contentment is about trusting more.
“I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Contentment is not natural but learned. You learn it by trusting that God’s plan is good, even if smaller and slower than you want.
You stop coveting when you count what God has already given instead of what someone else has.
When you know who you are in Christ, you can start living and enjoying what you do.
When you finally rest in His love, you realize that you already have everything you were looking for.
Because Jesus truly is enough.
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