The Sickness of Discontentment

Pastor Flávio Macieira — 2025

This reflection is part of the series "The Tireless Voice of Justice," inspired by themes from the book "The Desert Therapy."

Covetousness is a hunger that is not satisfied by what one has, but is tormented by what one does not possess.

Have you ever experienced that pang of dissatisfaction? You buy this year's smartphone, but two months later, a new model is released, and yours suddenly seems obsolete. You look at your house and can only see what needs renovating, especially after Browse through decor photos on social media.

This feeling, this restlessness, is the sickness of discontentment. And it is as old as humanity itself. Before we delve into the great themes of justice in this series, we need to understand the seed from which it all grew: the covetousness in the heart of a king who already had everything.

"Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.’ But Naboth replied, ‘The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.’ So Ahab went home, sullen and angry [...]. He pouted on his bed and refused to eat.” (1 Kings 21:1-4, NLT)

The scene would be comical if it weren't so tragic. Ahab, the king of Israel, owner of a palace and a kingdom, becomes depressed, throws a tantrum, and refuses to eat. The reason? He couldn't get a small piece of land. He had 99% of everything he could possibly want, but his soul grew sick over the 1% he couldn't have.

Discontentment blinds us to the blessings we already possess and makes us obsessed with what we lack. To Ahab, Naboth's vineyard was just a convenience for a vegetable garden. To Naboth, it was "the inheritance of my ancestors," a sacred legacy with spiritual and family significance. Ahab's greed prevented him from seeing and honoring the value that land had for another man.

This is the nature of covetousness: it is selfish and dehumanizes the other, turning people and their inheritances into mere objects for our satisfaction. It begins with a thought of "I deserve it," "I want it," and if left untreated, it can grow like a cancer, leading to destructive attitudes and actions, as we will see in the coming days.

The cure for the sickness of discontentment is not to have more, but to be more grateful. It is a spiritual discipline of looking at what God has already given us and finding joy and sufficiency in it. Before we can be a voice for justice in the world, we must first silence the voice of covetousness in our own hearts.

Your Next Step of Faith Make a list of five blessings in your life that you often overlook or take for granted. Spend time specifically thanking God for each one, asking Him to replace any feeling of discontentment with a grateful heart.

The Soul's Mirror

• In what area of your life has the "sickness of discontentment" been most apparent?

• Have social media been fueling your covetousness or your gratitude lately?

• How might your quest for "more" be blinding you to the value of what God has already placed in your hands?

Prayer

Lord, I confess that I often let the sickness of discontentment take over my heart. Forgive me for focusing on what I don't have and for being ungrateful for the blessings that surround me. Heal me from covetousness. Give me eyes to see Your goodness everywhere and a heart that finds sufficiency and joy in You. In Jesus' name, amen.

Gratitude is the only antidote to covetousness.

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