Stop Eyeing Your Neighbor’s Plate

I want to talk to you today about covetousness. Friends, it's easy to get caught up staring at what others have, like their marriage, their job, their life, or even their talents, and feel that God might be holding out on you! Like, "How do they get that and I don't?" or "Look at how happy they are, and look at me!"

The deception is that a happy life is having everything you want in life. But in reality, people live happily because of contentment, gratitude, and a choice to trust God beyond their plans and wants.

Many of us don't realize that most of what we are chasing in life is what others have that we think is a good life or a better life than what we have. So, instead of celebrating and enjoying what God's doing in our lives and trusting God’s good plan for us, we focus on what He is doing in our friend or neighbor's life and become unhappy, or envious, or resentful. That’s the sin of covetousness. And it's as bad and wrong as fornication or any of our other big sins.

Jesus knows that we have needs. He knows there are things we want God to do for us that until they are done, we are not happy. So in John 16:24, He said, "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.". That's it! He said, ask in His name. Because of what Christ has done for us, ask boldly and trust God bigly.

Trust that God knows what you need. Trust that God is maturing you through various situations - good times or bad times, good happenings or unwanted happenings. Trust that His timing is always perfect. See, God has a will for the universe, and He has a plan for you and for others and for this earth that we live in. And so trust that He's working all things together for your good. And be content and be grateful. Paul tells us that in all things, give thanks to God.