when pinterest makes you long for more {coveting}

I saw this last week on my friend Ashley's Facebook page and thought it was absolutely hilarious because I'm so there too:

Hey, if you kept your kids alive and took a shower, you're definitely a winner in my book! :D Bonus points if your kids got a shower too! {mine sure didn't!! hahaha!! :D we avoid bathing them as much as possible.... ;)}.

When my kids were really little the shower was majorly my happy place....and in 10 years of homemaking I still haven't made my own soap! ;)

I feel that sometimes we need to think of Pinterest as a one big magazine- enjoy the pretty pictures, bookmark that fun idea for later, then set it aside mentally and just be happy with the shower for now. :)

the danger of Pinterest

We have to be careful to guard our contentment, and Pinterest is such an interesting beast- so much to learn, but so much to lust after too. It's a very good place to covet freely, and in the privacy of your home or on your phone...all the time. And honestly, it's very much an acceptable sin, even in Christian circles. I think we don't even recognize what coveting is any more.

I didn't use Pinterest for a long time because it created internal anxiety in me- I wanted to do all those things I saw- all the awesome projects were such great ideas, and I thought I needed to do them too. Looking back, I was coveting what I saw- longing to do things I didn't need to do- longing to be more of this or that, or to have more. 

After a long time of avoiding it, I don't know what happened, but I could use it more as a tool.  I think it had to do with my purpose there. When I first started using it, I was just looking around for fun. 

When I came back to it months later, I started using it specifically for homemaking and recipe ideas to go along with the blog. I still have to be careful when I use it now, because sometimes I really want what I see- things I didn't even know I "needed" before I saw it there. Coveting becomes a slippery downhill slide that happens quickly. Oh, I like that. Oh, I want that.

Like any sin, Pinterest itself is not the problem. It's about the heart- are we coveting after what we see? Do we try to think of ways we can look more like them, or have more of this? If so, it might be time to shut it down for a while, and pray about it.

“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 is your neighbor’s.” exodus 20:17

If you think you might have a coveting problem caused by Pinterest, I would love to encourage you to:

1. pray about it.
If you feel that anxiety in your heart when you see things on Pinterest, pray hard about it. If you long for what you see, you might be coveting. Ask God to tell you- what is your heart set on? A nicer home? Being well-dressed? Having, doing, or being more of something you're not? Ask God to show you your heart in this.

2. fast from it.
While you're praying about it, maybe even consider fasting from it too. I know a lot of us have done this with Facebook, but I think it's helpful for Pinterest too. See what hold it has on your heart. See if you feel more content without it while you're asking God to lead you.

3. give it a purpose.
If and when you do return, I would strongly consider giving it a purpose. Like looking for recipes, home ideas, etc. Go through your following boards and feel free to delete boards that don't serve those purposes. If you feel you have a hard time not lusting after houses, stop looking at home boards. The same with fashion or anything else.

4. don't be afraid to turn it off.
It's better that you never know how to be a better organizer than to engage your soul in constant coveting. I promise. Discontentment is a very real problem, and for some of us it's hard to stay content when we constantly see what we don't have {even when it's under the guise of being helpful.} Please don't be afraid to cut it off. It will be so much better for your soul.

5. focus on Jesus.
Set your eyes on things above, not on things on this earth {Colossians 3:2}.  No amazing house, no perfect recipe, no list of 105 ways to decorate your Christmas tree can ever compare with Him. Give Him your heart- your full attention. If you feel like the world {which is Pinterest in a nutshell} is taking your gaze off of Him, pray hard and spend time in His word. Nothing is more important.

Don't let your heart lead you away. He is everything friends, and if you feel anything is pulling you toward sin, it's pulling you away from Him.

Jesus can conquer coveting- look to Him, and He will answer! :D He is so GOOD to us!! {and we have a heavenly home waiting for us that far exceeds the best Pinterest house. Just sayin'.}

Q: How do you feel about Pinterest? Can you enjoy the pictures without coveting or feeling tempted to do and have it all? Have you fasted from it too?

Please share your thoughts! :)