For Crying Out Loud, Be Thankful For What You Have
I am “yelling” at myself too.
By Grace K. Bianco
In a world that is constantly producing more and better things, the people can’t but long for the “better” things.
Most of us could produce a long list of what we want. I have a wishlist on my phone. I am always ready for my birthday and holidays. I still wouldn’t categorize myself as materialistic. I love minimalism, and I believe in being happy with what you already have. However, there are still things I want constantly even if it isn’t always a material good.
I have come to realize how much this affects my life, and I am more aware of how others’ longings affect their lives as well.
So, let me break down the journey I am on of chasing Him and not the things of this world.
The Things of This World
C.S. Lewis says it best, “Don’t let your happiness depend on something you may lose.”
As great as it is to have things, those things cannot bring you complete contentment or happiness. Better things will be made. There could be more things you’ll need for the item you already have. There will always be something more.
I am not firm a believer in the quote, “Money doesn’t buy happiness.” While you can’t literally buy happiness (as I just explained), being financially stable does help in more ways than one.
We shouldn’t revolve our lives around making more and more money, but we should focus on paying off debts. It’s good to have money to be able to buy necessities. It’s also not a bad thing to have money for extra wants.
I am not here to say having stuff is bad. I’m very blessed with having very nice things. The message here is that I am content with what I have, and you should be too. I don’t need more.
My laptop is outdated. My phone gets on my nerves. My clothes are becoming worn out (in my eyes). I would like more books, because I have read almost every single book that I own (most more than once). But I don’t need any of that. If I got all of those items, I would be pretty happy, but I wouldn’t be happy for the rest of my life.
Eventually, my new laptop would become outdated. My phone would slow down and get on my nerves again. My new clothes would become not so new. I’d end up reading all of those books too.
You can want. You can buy. But do not let the things of this world be your source of joy.
“Don’t love this evil world or the things in it. If you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. This is all there is in the world: wanting to please our sinful selves, wanting the sinful things we see, and being too proud of what we have. But none of these comes from the Father. They come from the world.” — 1 John 2:15–16 (Click here for other great verses on desiring the things in this world.)
Constantly Wanting More From Your Life
Louie Giglio said, “To us, waiting is wasting. To God, waiting is working.”
To be completely transparent, this is where I struggle.
I told my husband the other day that my life was on “pause”. I am in this phase of life where I never want to start anything, because I believe I have to be in a different place in my life to do so.
Here’s my thought process:
I can’t go to Bible study, because next month, I may not live here. Why start something I may not be able to continue? I can’t start working out, because we live in a camper. The area is much too small. The gym I could eventually join is near our land (in the process of building a house), but it’s not near where our camper is parked. I want to do more business ventures, but I can’t start because of my lack of WiFi. I could research on my phone, but I am already on my phone too much. I want my laptop. I will eat better when we move into our house. Our fridge is too small to hold fruits, and I don’t want to deal with frozen fruits and a blender in our camper.
The list goes on. I am always waiting for my life to change to be able to start. It’s a very frustrating place to be in. Some of those things, I literally can’t start because of my current living situation. Other times, it’s just me convincing myself to wait for the perfect moment that will never come. It makes me impatient, and I struggle with contentment A LOT.
God gives us each season for a reason. We just have to learn to take it all as it comes instead of longing for the next. Otherwise, we will always be living in the future, and when it’s all said and done, we will realize we never lived the days we were given.
“In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” — Proverbs 16:9
Final Thoughts
This all makes me think about the Israelites. They were saved from slavery, but complained about wandering through the desert. God let it rain enough food from the sky every single day, but eventually, they complained about that too. God would lead them by being a cloud during the day and a fire at night. They still would worship false idols.
Just when we get something, we will find something else to want. Just when God gets us to a season we prayed for, we will start praying for the next.
Get the most out of life, but find the most in God.
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