Discontentment Leads to Sin
Posted by CSAHM on June 1, 2009 · 14 Comments
{This is a Bible Study assignment taken from our Online Bible Study Group for moms. Join our group today and participate in our 30 day Bible Study on contentment.}
“The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and pleasing to the eyes, and could fill the desire of making one wise. So she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6) NLT
I think we all wonder to ourselves how stupid it was for Adam and Eve to eat from that tree. I mean they had everything in the world handed over to them (literally), and they could eat from any other tree except THAT one tree. Why did they do it? Why would they be willing to ruin it all for one bite of the apple?
Well these questions can certainly be answered in many different ways. But the other day God revealed to me how Adam and Eve are really no different than I am when I find myself working for more, more, more. When I am not content with my life then I am more likely to sin.
Adam and Eve DID have it all, but they wanted MORE. You read in this version of the scripture and it says “…and could fill the desire to make one wise.” she wasn’t content with just knowing what God revealed to her, she wanted to know it all. She had a DESIRE for MORE.
How often do we find ourselves discontent with the lives God gave us and find ourselves working for something that also tempts us to sin?
Some examples how being discontentment could lead to sin:
- A wife is not content with her husband so she seeks to be fulfilled outside of her marriage and commits adultery.
- A mom feels as though being a stay at home mom has no purpose or meaning in her life. She wants adventure, she wants to have fun. So she decides to leave her family in search of something MORE to fulfill these desires.
Conclusion:
All of these scenarios alone could lead to so many different kinds of sin that will ruin a life, or many lives forever.
As stay at home moms we are vulnerable to becoming discontent with our lives so much to the point where it could lead to sin.
Assignment:
Today I would like for you to journal some of things that you really feel discontent with in your life. Then pray to God asking Him to heal your heart, and help you to feel more content with your life.
If you are feeling brave – please feel free to share what God reveals to you on how to make a change towards contentment.
{This is a Bible Study assignment taken from our Online Bible Study Group for moms. Join our group today and participate in our 30 day Bible Study on contentment.}
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This was a powerful message. I have been feeling very discontent this past week regarding our finances. My husband is self-employed and we are struggling financially and I was even begining to look for a job. As a stay at home mom (for the past 7 months) it can be discouraging and I can lean on my own understanding at times,Thank God He used this to speak to me! God just confirmes that His will is to be at home with my children:)
Thank you for posting this.
Hi, Gina! Yes, having money troubles can quickly turn into a feeling of discontentment. I’m so glad this bible study spoke to you. I do pray things get better for you financially. God Bless You!
I often find myself discontented when I don’t have a goal I am working toward. That is hard for me as a stay at home mom because raising my children God’s way is the goal but I can’t measure the progress and the achievement of the goal is so far in the future. Many times feel like I’m just treading water waiting for the next phase to begin. It feels like a never ending day after day of the same. Help! Any advice? Thanks and God Bless
Jenn, this is so true. You explained the feeling a lot of SAHM’s face so well! It really is difficult to measure your progress because the laundry is never done for good, the kitchen get’s messy three times a day, the kids will always need a bath, it’s a never ending cycle.
But you are right our goal is to raise our children according to God’s word and help them become all that God created them to be. I find when I try and focus on the positive things that happened that day it helps.
For example yesterday was my youngest daughters birthday, and lately my two daughters (one is 11 yo and now I have a 4 yo) have been fighting a lot. My 11 yo has even said she is tired of her little sister. It’s your typical sister sibling rivalry.
But yesterday my oldest, without any prompting from me, made her baby sister a card for her birthday. It was so precious, and so kind. It made me happy because my oldest is a very generous person, she loves giving gifts, and that character trait really showed through her actions yesterday. Even just focusing on these small, but important, successes can really go a long way.
I would also recommend for all SAHM’s to have a hobby, and make it a goal to get in the word everyday. That has also helped me tremendously as well.
I hope that advice helped! Thank you for commenting and sharing your thoughts, I know a lot of us SAHM’s (including myself!) struggle with these same issues as well.
Thanks for the advice! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who feels like they are living the never ending cycle
I have been so discouraged for a couple weeks now and funny how your bible study is on Adam and Eve and them partaking of the tree of Knowledge, because My pastor at church on Sunday, spoke on the same thing!
I read in the bible where it sais to be content with what situation we are in and what we have, but sometimes it is hard when finances get in the way.
I am a stay at home mom and my husband can pay the bills, but there is no extra if needed for a few extra things.
I have a 4 year old and an 11 year old and It is hard to go out into the workforce and try to pay a babysitter, buy gas. By the time this is paid out, there is hardly none left for bills or needed things, so Why even work for just a few dollars a week?
It is hard, but I love my children dearly and I sacrifice for them.
But sometimes it gets overwhelming. So What does a mom do?
I have been feeling this way ever since I decided to stay at home, before I even had my first child. I wanted to stay home, because I felt that the bible was asking this of me. Only recently did I realize that staying home or working outside of the home are choices, and neither is to be considered bad or good. I do have seasons of discontentment and often yearn for “more”, as Eve did. It’s tough when so many women are working today. Staying home, I rarely ever dress up, put on makeup or even bother with my hair. I am often irritated and impatient; frustrated with the choices I’ve made because they’re so uncommon in the world we live in today. I am an old-fashioned woman and want to please God in all that I do. I believe that I can be content at home, for now, and if God has another plan for me, then I will follow that plan.
I think contentment is so hard to come by. I’m speaking for myself here and the struggle I have finding contentment and RESTING in it! It’s very much a purposeful thought habit – and when finances are tight, and kids are, well – KIDS! – and I have little time to take a shower let alone anything else – and the messes multiply before I can clean them up – and it goes on & on…
It really is about taking on the mind of Christ – and I’M NO EXPERT and I struggle with this so much. Jesus was God, and yet he spoke to the lepers and walked with the unloved and washed his own disciples feet. Disciples whom he knew would betray Him within hours…
Oh, it is so hard to take that role – at home, in marriage – on any level because let’s face it – acknowledgement and thanks is nice. It’s motivating. It’s rewarding. It’s often deserved! And so much less often spoken or shown. It’s hard for me to be a servant to my family – not just doing the chores so they have clean clothes or food to eat – but actually SERVING to them in a ministering way with a servant’s heart.
And that leads to my discontent…
This is such a great and timely message! I have been struggling with feelings of discontentment over the past month or so as a SAHM of a 6-month-old baby girl. I’ve shared my feelings with my husband and we’ve prayed and processed through them together. I am still listening for the Lord’s voice.
I realized that something must be amiss, as my life is absolutely AMAZING…a true reflection of God’s grace. Really, who could ask for anything more than a wonderful godly husband, a precious healthy baby girl, tons of loving family and friends, no current cares or worries about finances, blessings beyond belief…but yet, there is this nagging sense of discontentment as I think, “How many loads of laundry can I fold, diapers can I change, etc, etc…?” Yet, the Lord says that even with this He is pleased, as I am serving Him.
It was a HUGE adjustment for me to adjust to being a SAHM–which I still am. But this is a season that the Lord called me to and He continues to gently reaffirm that He is faithful, He called me, and He will do it through me.
Again, I am grateful for this article and will share with my other SAHM friends. I pray God continues to bless and use this ministry.
I am soo glad and thankful I found this bible study. I have been feeling discontentment in my marriage. I hate the way I have been feeling. I was praying about this last night and today found the bible study. I am excited to be participating.
Thank you and God Bless
Melissa
I chose to become a SAHM and am delighted that God has provided for me to do so. I too have become so discontent and frustrated with everything it seems here lately. I googled “devotions for SAHM” and found this site/devotion. I have been truly blessed just in five minutes that I have sat here and read all of the posts. It is so wonderful to know that I am not alone in this and apparently its pretty normal to have these feelings of frustration and lack of contentment. I am going to subscribe to this bible study as soon as i stop typing because I feel God will truly speak to me through the lessons given. They are so relevant to my current situation, which proves the Holy Spirit is here and that God is relevant and truly cares for us individually and specifically. I never thought I would really find something that just “fit” like this does. Thanks to all of you who already posted because it made me feel great knowing you’re out there. I sat here with tears pouring down as I read “my story” through so many of the words you already typed. Thank you and God bless you all. I look forward to much more fellowship together in the coming days!
Thank you for your comment, Stephanie! I’m so glad you have been blessed by the post and the comments. It can be difficult when we feel like we are alone, and can happen a lot when we are CSAHM’s. I pray that the Bible Study is a blessing to you, it has been a great blessing to me just going through it myself.
i am stuggling on deciding to be a stay at home mom / homeschooler or to keep working i think either way i will be a little discontent
I’m not sure if people are still reading and posting here, since there haven’t been any in a while. But I have to say I’ve been feeling a little discontent as a working mom. God has blessed me and I only work 4 days a week and can spend Wed’s at home as well as the weekends. I really feel Him calling me to stay home and I would in a heart beat, but of course there is the lack of money. My husband can pay all the house bills but we have nothing left over for food, gas, co-pays ect. Right now I’m just waiting on the Lord to see what He’ll have me do. I think in some situations (and I do mean only SOME) discontentment can be the Lords way of preparing us for a change . I did not feel discontent when I first had to bring my baby to the sitters, this is just a recent feeling and she is 14 months old. I am so thankful for my job especially in this economy, but I just feel that my discontentment is the Lord prodding me to “get my house in order” for a change. My husband and I have made a promise to the Lord to stay out of new debt and have began aggressively paying off our student loans. I believe these two things are the first steps of faith God is having us take and now we wait!