Today my thoughts were on money...a lot. I went shopping with my sister, and everything I saw I wanted! So inconvenient when you would rather not spend your money.
I had to remind myself of some bible verses.
"The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenty; but the thoughts of everyone who is hasty only to poverty." -Proverbs 21:5
"Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms shall be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."
-Proverbs 24:3-4
"He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a broken down city without a wall."
-Proverbs 25:28
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he may have enough to finish it; lest perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all those seeing begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish." -Luke 14:28-30
At the end of my life, what will it matter if I bought that string of beads, pair of shoes, high end clothes, over priced phone, or latest flat screen? It won't. Doesn't mean I can't ever buy anything...it doesn't mean I can't ever buy anything I just "want" and don't "need," either. But, there is a time for everything, and most of the time buying something I "want" won't make me any happier after I've gotten it than before I had it. Humans are so spoiled today that getting is never good enough. We will always hunger for more, and more, and more...*things* will become our life and will eventually take it over, it we're not careful.
Matthew 6:19- 21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
When you put everything you have into material things, your heart will start to attach to those things...when that happens, what's left for God? What's left for those around you who love you? Not much, is it? The things of this earth are for our pleasure, to enjoy...but they're not to take over our life. That only brings more emptiness. If we fill our hearts up with God, there won't be any desire for lots of stuff to clutter up our life.
We don't have to have things to make us happy. I don't have to get everything I want. God will provide and bless as He sees fit, and until He does I don't need to go out and spend everything I have to get things I don't need.
I think Dave Ramsey would have been proud of me, today, with as much as I turned down. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment