Finding Contentment: Overcoming Comparison and Coveting
Summary
In today's sermon, I explored the complex nature of contentment and the dangers of comparison, as illuminated by the Tenth Commandment, "You shall not covet." This commandment stands out because it addresses the internal struggle with desire and envy, rather than external actions. It's about the heart's posture and the mind's focus.
I began by discussing the unique nature of the Tenth Commandment, which is unlike the others in that it cannot be measured externally. Coveting is an internal act, invisible to others, yet it can lead to breaking other commandments. For instance, coveting a neighbor's spouse can lead to adultery, or coveting a friend's freedom can lead to dishonoring one's parents.
I then delved into the principle behind the commandment: to be content with what God has given us. However, I clarified that contentment does not mean complacency. There is a place for holy discontent, where God calls us to greater obedience or faith. The danger lies in unholy comparison, which can make us ungrateful and ineffective with what God has entrusted to us.
I shared biblical examples to illustrate the pitfalls of comparison. The nation of Israel coveted a king like other nations, leading them to reject God as their true king. On a personal level, I recounted the story of Peter and John, highlighting their rivalry and Peter's moment of comparison after Jesus's resurrection.
I emphasized that comparison is a trap, one that even the most successful people can fall into. It can lead to a never-ending cycle of striving for more, never being satisfied, and ultimately disfiguring one's life.
To combat the trap of comparison, I offered three practices: voicing gratitude regularly, reevaluating success in terms of stewardship and fruitfulness, and embracing contentment. By focusing on gratitude, we reduce the temptation to compare. By redefining success, we align our goals with God's priorities. And by embracing contentment, we can face life's extremes with peace, knowing our identity is in Christ.
I concluded by inviting the congregation to respond to God's word through song, prayer, and communion, encouraging everyone to reflect on areas where they might feel stuck due to comparison and to bring those concerns to God.
Key Takeaways:
- Contentment is not about achieving a stress-free life but about finding peace in our current circumstances. It's about surrendering to Jesus and trusting Him to produce fruit in our lives. This requires a daily practice of abiding in Him, as apart from Him, we can do nothing. [55:13]
- The famous verse, Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," is often misinterpreted as a call to achievement. In context, it's about contentment. It teaches us to find peace regardless of our circumstances, not to conquer them. [56:53]
- Comparison can lead to a lack of gratitude and misuse of what God has given us. It's important to focus on following Jesus with the "ingredients" of our life, rather than coveting what others have. This allows God to work through us without the hindrance of envy. [50:20]
- Voicing gratitude regularly helps us combat the trap of comparison. By acknowledging what we're thankful for, we keep our blessings in the forefront, making it less likely to fall into the trap of coveting what others have. [51:59]
- Reevaluating success in terms of stewardship and fruitfulness shifts our focus from worldly achievements to what truly matters to God. Success is not about the visible outcomes but about being faithful with what we've been given and trusting God with the results. [53:33]
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Exodus 20:17 (NIV): "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
2. Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV): "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
3. 1 Samuel 8:4-7 (NIV): "So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, 'You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.' But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us,' this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: 'Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.'"
### Observation Questions
1. What is unique about the Tenth Commandment compared to the other nine commandments? [26:25]
2. How did the nation of Israel's desire for a king demonstrate the dangers of comparison? [33:03]
3. According to Philippians 4:11-13, what is the secret Paul learned about contentment?
4. In the story of Peter and John running to the tomb, what subtle rivalry is highlighted by John? [39:07]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is coveting considered an internal struggle, and how can it lead to breaking other commandments? [28:04]
2. How does the story of Israel wanting a king like other nations illustrate the consequences of rejecting God's unique plan for them? [33:40]
3. What does Paul mean when he says, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength," in the context of contentment? [56:53]
4. How does the rivalry between Peter and John after Jesus's resurrection serve as a warning against comparison among believers? [49:12]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you found yourself coveting something someone else had. How did it affect your relationship with God and others? [28:40]
2. In what areas of your life do you struggle with contentment? How can you practice gratitude to combat these feelings? [51:59]
3. How can you redefine success in your life to align more closely with stewardship and fruitfulness rather than worldly achievements? [53:33]
4. Think about a recent situation where you compared yourself to someone else. How did it impact your peace and effectiveness in what God has entrusted to you? [46:46]
5. How can you embrace contentment in your current circumstances, whether in plenty or in need, as Paul describes in Philippians 4:11-13? [57:26]
6. Identify one area where you feel a holy discontent. How can you discern whether this is a call from God for greater obedience or faith? [30:49]
7. What practical steps can you take this week to follow Jesus more closely without being distracted by comparison? [49:43]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Peace in Our Circumstances
Contentment is not about a stress-free existence but about finding peace within our current situations. It's a daily surrender to Jesus, trusting Him to bear fruit through us. This peace is not passive; it's an active abiding in Christ, recognizing that without Him, we can achieve nothing. This kind of contentment allows us to face life's challenges and joys with equanimity, knowing that our worth and identity are rooted in our relationship with Jesus, not in our external circumstances or achievements.
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" - Hebrews 13:5
Reflection: How can you practice abiding in Christ today to find contentment in your current circumstances?
Day 2: Misinterpretations of Strength in Christ
Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," is often taken out of context as a mantra for personal success. However, it's truly a lesson in contentment. It teaches us to find peace regardless of whether we are in times of need or plenty. This verse calls us to rely on Christ's strength to endure every situation with contentment, not to use His strength as a means to achieve worldly success or to overcome every obstacle in our own power.
"For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." - Philippians 4:11-12
Reflection: What does relying on Christ's strength to find contentment in every situation look like for you today?
Day 3: Gratitude as an Antidote to Comparison
Comparison often leads to ingratitude and a failure to appreciate and utilize the gifts God has given us. By focusing on gratitude, we acknowledge the blessings in our lives, which helps us combat the temptation to covet what others have. This practice of thankfulness keeps our hearts aligned with God's generosity and fosters a spirit of contentment, allowing us to be more effective in our calling and less likely to fall into the destructive cycle of comparison.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world." - 1 Timothy 6:6-7
Reflection: What are three specific things you are grateful for today, and how can expressing this gratitude help you combat comparison?
Day 4: Redefining Success Through Stewardship
Success in the kingdom of God is not measured by worldly standards but by faithfulness and stewardship. It's about being responsible with what we've been given and trusting God with the outcomes. This perspective shifts our focus from achieving visible success to cultivating fruitfulness in our lives, aligning our goals with God's priorities and allowing us to serve His purposes without the pressure of worldly comparison.
"Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." - Matthew 25:21
Reflection: How can you redefine success in your life to focus more on stewardship and faithfulness to what God has entrusted to you?
Day 5: Contentment as a Reflection of Identity in Christ
Embracing contentment is about recognizing our identity in Christ and facing life's highs and lows with a sense of peace. This peace comes from understanding that our value is not based on external achievements or possessions but on our relationship with Jesus. Contentment allows us to live fully in the present, using our God-given "ingredients" to follow Jesus and serve others, free from the burden of envy.
"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." - Colossians 3:3-4
Reflection: How does your identity in Christ influence your sense of contentment, and how can you live out that contentment today?
Quotes
1) "Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple. Resentment kills, envy slays. God, knowing this to be true, includes in his list of Commandments the command 'you shall not covet.' There are certainly times when another person's performance or accomplishments or even their character can inspire us towards greater heights... This is a good and holy thing." [45:01]
2) "There is a principle behind this precept 'you shall not covet.' Broadly, the principle is, hey, be content with what God has given you. But I think the heart of it is more, I won't let comparison to someone else cause me to be ungrateful for and useless with what God has entrusted to me." [46:10]
3) "What is that to you? What God is doing in someone else's life, what is it to you? What their ministry looks like, what is it to you? Even their income or their gifts... Are you perhaps killing the work God wants to do in your life because you are spending your time and energy wanting to live somebody else's life?" [49:43]
4) "Voice your gratitude regularly... Start with the most important thing, 'I'm thankful for a God who loves me.' When you begin with gratitude, comparison and coveting becomes much less of a temptation because we're constantly keeping before us the things we're thankful for." [52:33]
5) "Reevaluate success... God cares a whole lot more about stewardship than he does about success. He cares about how I'm doing what I'm doing more than actually how much output I'm getting out there... If we're faithful with what we've been given... the fruit will take care of itself." [53:33]
6) "Embrace not complacency, but we embrace contentment... It's not about conquering your circumstances, it's about experiencing peace regardless of your circumstances... I can do all things through him who strengthens me. And that's the famous sentence... verse 13 is about contentment." [56:53]
7) "If you've not learned this type of contentment in Christ... your emotional and spiritual life will ebb and flow based upon your circumstances... You'll find yourself coveting your neighbor's wife, neighbor's house, neighbor's career... But God, what about that? And Jesus looks at you today just like he did at Peter and he says, 'What is that to you? You must follow me.'" [58:35]
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