I recently read the Ten Commandments in the Book of Exodus, which isn’t the most fun part of Scripture to read. One of the most convicting commandments for me is the 10th commandment: “‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor’” (Exodus 20:17 NASB1995).
Oof.
True confession—it’s difficult to not covet my friends’ marriages. Even though I know coveting is a sin, I succumb to this temptation far too often. God’s Word is clear about not coveting what other people have, but how can we avoid it?
When Desire Crosses the Line
Perhaps you’re currently facing the temptation to covet your friend’s marriage and you’re not sure how to combat the temptation. It’s not that you wish your friend’s husband was your husband. In fact, you think your friend and her husband are perfect together. They’re so in love with each other.
You simply want what they have. Like, now.
“Just be content where you are right now,” well-intentioned people tell you often. “The grass is always greener on the other side. This is where you’re supposed to be.”
They’re absolutely right. You know they are. After all, you remember feeling this way during childhood. When you were 10, you couldn’t wait to be 13. You thought being a teenager would be amazing. But turning 13 wasn’t all that great. When you entered the teen years, puberty hit really hard and really fast. Boys got more obnoxious, and girls got more cliquey. Braces and algebra became realities.
There’s nothing wrong with looking forward to the future, even though it may not end up being as amazing as you hope. (Your 13-year-old self learned this lesson the hard way.) But over time, desire can morph into covetousness. There’s a fine line between noticing the positive elements of your friend’s marriage and wishing you could be in her place.
Partaking of Your Daily Bread
“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11 NASB1995)
This verse, which comes from the Lord’s Prayer, might seem irrelevant to a post about coveting your friend’s marriage. However, I think we can apply it in a unique way. God gives His children exactly what they need exactly when they need it. Because He created them uniquely and knows them intimately, He can meet their deepest needs—needs they may not even be aware of!
If you’re a single girl and you’re tempted to covet your friend’s marriage, it’s time to open your hands to receive your daily bread. I realize it may be different than your friend’s daily bread, but it’s what your Heavenly Father knows you need. Thank Him for supplying it and then partake of it!
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 