Unfortunately, we live in a society which perpetuates a mindset that you must have "things" to be happy (greed). Jesus warns us to watch out & be on guard against all kinds of greed. A man's life doesn't consist in the abundance of his possessions. So don't buy into the lie that the more material things you have, the better your life can be.
As we were eating, my wife & each of my children asked, "What do you want for your birthday?" My response..."I can't think of anything I really need" (I was just enjoying this time of sharing food/laughter/conversation with my family, and that was enough). In the past, I always had a list for them weeks before my birthday, but as I grow older, I 'm satisfied just enjoying the fruit of my labor now that all of our children are grown and have become responsible adults. This took years of painstaking effort & sacrifice for me and my wife to accomplish , but I can see now that it was well worth it!
I know many people (relatives included) who believe that marriages and families are held together by material things alone; truth is material things make lousy cement. That's why we see so many rich celebrities and other wealthy people who are miserable/unhappy & we see their lives literally fall apart because they failed to develop strong relationships. So what makes you think that working overtime or obtaining part-time jobs to earn more money/buy more things will equal happiness for you & yours?
If you're not already doing so, begin to invest more of your time & energy in things that will last and please don't forget to prepare for eternity; Jesus warns us not to end up like the man in the parable of the "rich fool".
Are you rich in the things of this world or are you rich in the things of God?
Hello Pastor Tim, I truly enjoyed reading this post and at this place and time in my life I can fully identify with what you're saying. It's unfortunate that we don't come to some of these understandings earlier in life but it does grant us a greater appreciation for life and greater still is that God has given us an opportunity to prepare for that time when we will come to be with Him.
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