Leading The Way - Devotional for July 22
July 22, 2025
The Problem with Discontentment
By Michael A. Youssef, Ph.D.
Are you content with how your life has turned out? Are you happy with the career path, spouse, or home you have chosen? Are you enjoying this stage of your life for the blessings you have, or do you compare yourself to others and succumb to envy and self-pity?
Most everyone experiences discontentment on occasion—that wistful wishing that life was different. Unfortunately, discontentment often leads to sin as we begin to crave something that does not belong to us and as we become dominated by covetous thoughts, greed, and envy.
When we covet, we think, “If only I were him or her and had his or her career, spouse, and lifestyle, then I would finally be happy. If only, if only, if only . . .” But these desires only lead to self-pity and misery.
Our culture encourages the accumulation of material wealth as the answer to our misery. But Jesus tells us the opposite: “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions’” (Luke 12:15).
Prayer: God, forgive me for the times when I allow discontentment to lead me to covet. Help me keep a proper perspective, remembering that life is about so much more than material wealth. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon The Ten Commandments, Part 11: LISTEN NOW
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