The Desires of the Eyes

“For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life— is not from the Father but is from the world.” - 1 John 2:16 
 
 
If you want to be a faithful disciple of Christ and pursue the purpose He designed you for, you must be wary of the three types of sins this world will throw at you. Satan used these exact temptations with Jesus. As humans, they are desires we all have, and if not channeled in the right direction, they can become our downfall. 
 
1 John 2:16 names each of these, “For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life— is not from the Father but is from the world.” 
 
Yesterday, we talked about the first, the desires of the flesh. These are things like food, drink, and sexual fulfillment. Specifically, they are physical desires. I would encourage you to go back and read yesterday’s devotional if you missed it. The second is the desires of the eyes. This phrase “the desires of the eyes” describes everything that appeals to the eye’s insatiable demands.  
 
Satan will use external attractions, such as a desire for a luxurious house or car, to steal our attention. Or maybe it’s the desire of a neighbor’s spouse. He uses these things to produce covetousness. He wants to create an “I want to have that” mentality that gets you thinking about the things you want to have. He used this trick with Eve to eat the apple so that she would have knowledge.  
 
It is great to have goals and ambitions that may lead to the ability to buy certain things. When you work hard and you can earn nice things, there is nothing wrong with that. But having a constant desire for something that you do not have and coveting it is a trick Satan will use to take your focus off of God and place it on your selfish desires. 
 
So friend, be careful. God wants you to be content with what you have. He will always provide for you, and you will always have what you need. Never let the desires of your eyes lead you down a path that is in conflict with what God has for you. Trust Him and allow Him to provide for you and give you what you need!