Daily Devotion

February 4, 2015

Covetousness (4)


“Be content with such things as you have.” Heb 13:5 NKJV

If your goals are God-centered, He will help you to achieve them. But if you are asking Him for something just because your neighbor has it, you’ll be disappointed. The Bible says, “No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Ps 84:11). When God withholds something from you, trust Him; He knows what He’s doing. God loves you too much to give you what you’re not ready for, can’t handle, doesn’t fit into His plan for your life, or will end up draining your energies and maybe even destroying you. When you covet something, make it essential to your happiness, and beg God to give it to you, you’re asking God to replace Himself with something you consider more important. When you do this, God may allow you to experience the consequences Israel suffered. “He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Ps 106:15). Don’t reach the end of your life only to look back with regret on a shattered marriage, children who’ve gone astray, a blighted conscience, or the pain of realizing you missed out on God’s best. Our problem is not that we don’t want God; it’s that we want God—plus—a house by the lake, an impressive career, a perfect spouse, or whatever catches our fancy. That’s why Jesus said, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Lk 12:15 NKJV). Life is not built on things, it’s built on relationships. And the first relationship you need to work on is your relationship with God.

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