Contentment

Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."
Hebrew 13:5
(NLT)

First, let me say I am not entirely against shopping for new items. Items we may think we "need" or "want". I want a big screen TV, and I don't think God would be angry if I bought one. However, if I bought one and it did not work, maybe that would be a sign...

Yet we need to be careful that our shopping habits do not overcome our spiritual habit of contentment. God promises us that He will always provide for us the necessities of life. We should be content no matter what. 

The problem with compulsive and hyper-shopping is this: we may turn our attention from God to the lesser god of consumerism and materialism. We may become less satisfied with the  all-satisfying God and trade His contentment in for a perpetual dissatisfaction with the material things of this world. Because the truth is, that big screen TV isn't going to last forever; God is.

So buy things, yes. But keep an eternal perspective. And put your trust in God. Trust that He alone can provide you with true happiness and satisfaction, so when that big screen TV is broken by a game controller crashing into it, you can still be content. 

Father, whenever I think I "need" or "want" something, remind me that You alone are going to make me completely happy. I need You. I want You. Let Your Spirit cultivate in me contentment. In Jesus' Name, Amen. 

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