As soon as my wandering eyes saw the beautiful furniture, the thought popped into my coveting mind, ‘I should buy this.’ I could easily write a book, I Want More Stuff: Confessions of an Impulsive Buyer.
My living room is full of new furniture. But my brain lit up like it does for a drug addict when they smell or see the drug of their choice. If I had been really rich, I might have just tossed my credit card on the counter and said, “Charge it to my account.”
You’re wondering why I would use a credit card if I were rich, right? Visa points for travelling free – of course. Just make sure the card is paid off every month.
Do you have days where you are completely obsessed with having something new? Maybe a sweater, lipstick, purse, shoes, or a pretty dress? You know – a little retail therapy?
I mean, we deserve it don’t we? You and I have both worked hard; reasons we condone buying more stuff.
Unfortunately, having the couch delivered to our home in a week will not cause me to have more contentment. Well, maybe for a week or two, then the happiness seems to vanish like teenagers who are asked to do dishes.
I am not in need in case you think I deserve to buy what I want. I have everything I need… and then some.
The issue is my heart.
It tends to stray away from a focus on God and his desire to supply all my needs: and towards me wanting to fill my house with pretty things.
My faith is not Catholic, but I really love Mother Theresa’s saying below, which I can apply to my own life:
Mother Theresa’s focus in life wasn’t her own wants, desires and wish for having more. She had a deep longing to serve others and put her own needs aside. Pope Francis said these lovely words after she died;
”Mother Teresa, in all aspects of her life, was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making herself available for everyone through her welcome and defence of human life, those unborn and those abandoned and discarded,” he said. “She bowed down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their God-given dignity. ”
Are you struggling with spending money on beautiful things you really don’t need, like I am? Do you feel God gently tugging at your heart asking you to let him change your desires to be the ones he has?
I love my own mother’s quote which also goes with the verse below.
“I’m not sure why that person would think they are higher on the social ladder than me. They are leaving this earth with the same thing I’m leaving with…nothing.”
Possessions and pretty things were meant to be enjoyed and appreciated, and not to be idols in our lives. Contentment with the life we have now is considered a GREAT GAIN to God.
Let’s together pray and ask God to give us hearts filled with contentment so we can glorify God with our happiness💗
I’ve never heard that particular quote of Mother Teresa’s but it’s beautiful!
I thought so too💕