Back to the Basics: A Heart Content in God

Exodus 20:17

The final commandment of the Ten Commandments is far from being the least important. In many ways, this commandment reaches deeper than all the other commandments. All the other commandments deal with more outward actions, such as murder, adultery, theft, and false witness. This commandment deals with the inwardness of the heart. God said, “You shall not covet.” It reminds us that sin begins before it is visible. It begins with desire, affections, and the Intentions of the heart.

This commandment reveals that God desires not just external obedience, but purity of heart. It exposes hidden sins like envy, greed, jealousy, and dissatisfaction, reminding us that sin begins internally with desire and intention. Many people today ask what coveting is, why it is dangerous, and how grace frees us from it. They may also ask what a content and holy heart looks like.

People wonder what coveting is. Coveting is the inordinate desire for something God has not given to you, especially what belongs to another person. It is not the same as healthy ambition. Working hard, improving your life, or pursuing goals is not wrong.

Coveting is saying, “I must have what they have. I cannot be happy unless I possess it. God has been unfair to me. Their blessings bother me.” Coveting is desire twisted and distorted by sin.

If you look at this commandment, it lists many things: houses, spouse, servant, livestock, and possessions, then it adds, “anything that is your neighbor's.” God leaves no loophole. You can covet someone’s house, marriage, success, talents, Ministry, looks, money, influence, peace, and a host of other things. Coveting is not limited to just property; it can target anything.

This commandment is unique among the others because it addresses what truly happens inside. A person can never steal outward, yet inwardly they’re craving another person’s possession. A person may never commit adultery physically, yet covet another's relationship. A person can never lie openly, yet they resent another person’s reputation. This commandment shows that God wants our hearts to be holy. 1 Samuel 16: 7 reads, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” As humans, we judge by what we see, but God judges motives. It comes down to the fact that all sin is a heart issue, not merely actions.

When we are coveting, it reveals a distrust in God. Coveting, at its root, says that God is not enough. God has blessed others more than He has blessed me. God’s timing is wrong. God’s provision is insignificant. Coveting is a subtle attack on the goodness of God.

When Adam and Eve sinned in Eden, the enemy stirred covetous desires in them by implying, “You need what God withheld.” That lie still speaks to today, saying, “You need more to be happy. You need what they have. God is holding back on you.” The truth is, this God is wise, loving, and sufficient.

The sin of covenant does not stand alone; it breeds other sins. We see throughout the Bible stories about people who coveted and gave birth to visible sin. Joshua 7 talks about Achan’s sin. He said, “I saw…I coveted…I took.” Notice the pattern of sin: I saw, I desired wrongly, and I acted sinfully.

This is not the only story. Look at what the man after God’s own heart did in Samuel 11. David saw Bathsheba, he desired what was not his, and then adultery and murder followed. This pattern is not just in the Old Testament. Look to Judas. He loved money and selfish desire that led him to betray Christ Jesus. Covenant may seem private, but it is rarely harmless.

Though many of us do not have oxen or donkeys as our major concern today, the spirit of coveting is alive even to this day. The most obvious is material coveting. Always wanting the newest and greatest thing. Some people even bragged that they got the new iPhone, whatever, or a brand-new Lamborghini Diablo. They are always seeking the newest and greatest thing.

Another form of modern coveting is relational coveting. People want someone else’s spouses, family, friendship, or attention. Honestly, this is one I still struggle with. I see people developing friendships with others, but they seem to ignore me, or it appears to me that I am not worthy of their friendship. It is something I struggled with most of my life because of my family’s rejection of me.

Still another form of modern coveting is socially coveting. That is wanting what another person has in terms of status, popularity, recognition, or platform. A lot of people suffer from this. They want what their bosses have. They want the latest title. I had a family member whose driving point was this. They were big into titles.

Spiritual coveting is one of the most dangerous and deadly forms of modern coveting. Spiritual coveting is wanting another’s believer’s gift while neglecting the grace that God has given you. This form of covetousness is so harmful to the church that the Apostle Paul wrote entire chapters about it.

Ministry coveting goes hand in hand with spiritual coveting. Ministry coveting is comparing your church with another church, crowd, influence, or Titles. The sad part about it is that many pastors fall under this form of Coventry. Ministry can become corrupt by Envy.

This commandment proves why we must have a holy heart. A person may appear moral while, inwardly and soon, being driven by jealousy and greed. God promises a deeper work. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely.” A holy heart does not mean temptation will disappear or humanity will be removed. It means your heart is surrendered and cleansed by the love of God rather than sinful, self-centeredness. A holy heart learns contentment.

The Apostle Paul tells us what the secret of contentment is when he said in Philippians 4:11, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content.” Take note that the Apostle Paul learned to be content. Contentment is not natural, but it is a spiritual formation. Paul has known plenty and poverty, freedom in prison, honor and rejection, and comfort and hardship. He still said Christ is enough. The victory over coveting is not having everything you want but knowing Jesus is sufficient.

A danger of coveting is that it destroys your joy. Comparison steals gratitude. When you focus on what others have, you stop noticing what God gave you. You lose peace. You resent the blessings around you. You live a dissatisfied life. Social comparison is one of Satan’s favorite tools to use. If ye cannot destroy you through open rebellion, he may distract you with constant dissatisfaction. A coveted heart says, “What I have is not enough.” A grateful heart says, “God has been good to me.”

The good news is that Grace frees us from coveting; however, there are a few things we need to do. First, we must repent of our hidden sins. We must confess not only deeds but also our desires. Asking God to forgive us our envy, jealousy, greed, and resentment.

We must trust God’s provision for our lives. God knows what you need and when you need it. We must allow God to work and not take matters into our own hands. I could tell you a story about how God provided for me in my time of need when I needed it.

We must practice gratitude. When we offer Thanksgiving, it suffocates coveting. We must thank God daily for our salvation, family, provisions, health that remains, church family, and grace through trials. The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

One of the hardest things we can do to help battle coveting is to celebrate others. When someone else is blessed, let us rejoice rather than resent them. I know this is hard because I do suffer from it at times, and I've also had other people try to take away my accomplishments by comparing them to someone else's. I had this recently when I made a comment to somebody, and they started comparing me to somebody else.

The final and most important thing we can do to battle Coveting is to seek a holy heart. When we allow gods to purify our motives and fill our hearts with love, coveting will not find a hold in our hearts. Seek God first in everything.

You may ask Pastor Ken, “How do I know God is working victory over coveting in my life?” First, you can rejoice in others' blessings, meaning you can celebrate them rather than envy them. You will also have a sense of thankfulness for the small gifts, meaning small blessings become increasingly precious to you. You stop constantly comparing yourself to others; you have become secure in God’s plan. You can wait on God patiently, and you trust his timing fully. Most importantly, Jesus becomes your treasure. When Christ is enough, coveting loses its power in your life.

Jesus is our wonderful example of how this commandment can be overcome. Jesus was never greedy, jealous, or resentful. Even though he owned little on this earth, he had a rich communion with God the Father. He was not grasping, but he was giving. When Adam reached for the forbidden fruit, Christ surrendered his life on a tree. When humans covet, Christ loved. Through his blood, we can be free of a coveting heart, and it will be cleansed.

The last of the Ten Commandments searches where others cannot see. It asks, “What do you long for most? Are you content in God? Do you rejoice in others, or do you resent or tear them down? Is Christ enough for you?” Ask yourself these questions honestly.

God does not just want clean hands, but He desires a clean heart. Today, the Lord is offering more than just forgiveness; he is offering freedom. Do not have yourself trapped by comparison, greed, and restless desires. Turn to Christ and let him clean your inward life, heart, and give you joy and contentment.

Let me leave you this in closing: maybe today you need to pray, “Lord, forgive my coveting spirit.” Perhaps you need to pray, “Lord, cleanse my heart fully and let it be holy for you.” Maybe you need to pray, “Jesus, teach me to be content in you and you alone.” Come to him now because when Christ Jesus becomes enough, you will be truly set free.