5 Ways to Slay Covetous Desire

The sin of coveting is said to be "of all sins the most opposed to God" and "the most dangerous of all sins."  If more people sought to rid themselves of it "most of our economic problems would be solved."  If we'd take covetousness away "there would be no reason for men to fly at one another's throats."*

Since this sin is one of the most odious, it should be targeted as a prime enemy to be eliminated.  We can begin a concentrated effort to slay this inordinate desire for another's goods with the following practices. 

1. Praise God from whom all blessings flow -  The opposite of covetousness is contentment.  Replacing the one with the other must begin with a bountiful exuberance in God (and not just His gifts).  It is difficult to be cross with someone else's favors when you are enraptured with the Giver of All.

2.  Pray for, rejoice in, and be thankful for the good of others
Paul said that we must "rejoice with those who rejoice."  These words are a defense against the evil of jealousy.  If we see another's good as an opportunity to praise God and be happy, we will be less likely to want to be robbed of their blessings.  This also makes for a much more positive attitude, which usually benefits us in the long run. 

3.  Repent of & mourn the grotesqueness of the evil.
If you sense the sickening stream of envy, confess it to God and lament its vileness before Him.  Be open about what you really feel--that you regret this person should have more than you, that you want them to suffer misfortune, and that you'd rather see them dead than prosper.  Then ask God to replace this murderous sin with charity, cheerfulness, and contentment.

4.  Meditate on the radical peace that flow from a contented society.  
James says that wars and fighting come as a result of envy.  Think of the peace that would ensue if our hearts did not burn with this vice.  Nations would no more pick up arms to battle one another, church's would have untold harmony, neighbors would probably not need fences.

5.  Relish the blessings that could be had if we did not covet
The core of coveting is the "I want it all now" mentality.  It thus leads to thieving, increased taxation, higher insurance premiums, etc.  If the sin of coveting was less prevalent economies would burst with financial growth. Over time we'd see more wealth in our pockets and the inheritance of future generations would expand almost exponentially.

Check out the rest of what is in this week's Hopewell Weekly