Covetousness vs. Contentment

I have been thinking a lot about covetousness lately and the sneaky way it can creep into our lives without our realizing it. We recently heard a lesson at Highway on "Our Conversation", and this verse really jumped out at me:

Hebrews 13:5

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

It's amazing how often I catch myself being guilty of covetousness, and for years I didn't even realize that it was a problem for me! I thought that covetousness was being envious of other people's things and having a hateful, jealous attitude. But when I took a closer look at the Word, I noticed that right after the admonition to be without covetousness is the added command to be content with such things as I have. Uh-oh. How often have I been guilty of complaining about my job, my apartment, my clothes, my bank account. I thought it was ok because I wasn't begrudging anybody else's possessions; I just wanted a few nicer things of my own. But a truly focused Christian is content with the things that they have. Why? Because God has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us, and ultimately, that is all any of us really need.

The Greek word in Hebrews 13:5 is aphilargyros and is defined in Strong's concordance as "not loving money, not greedy". We also know from 1 Timothy 6:10 that "the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

So, if my way of life is supposed to be without love of money and not greedy, then how can I justify a lifestyle of buying new clothes for every season, having 14 pairs of shoes in my closet, and planning a future around career goals instead of spiritual goals? Can I look myself straight on in the mirror and honestly say that my lifestyle is without greediness?