I love beautiful things. I sometimes get carried away thinking about all the beautiful things I want to have. I don't live an extravagant lifestyle compared to the rich and famous, but I have plenty.... plenty to be thankful for. And it might take awhile, but my hardworking husband provides me with many of the beautiful things I ogle over.
Yet, I still get carried away with wanting more....
(new living room furniture)
(canon 5D Mark II)
(modern farmhouse kitchen)
(exotic vacation)
(Anthropologie boots -- I could totally wear these with everything.... or almost everything)
(Etsy earings)
(Kitchen towels without stains on them)
(A girl can dream)
I find so many things that I want that my list grows longer and longer and I grow discontent easily.
Apparently I'm not the only person who has ever struggled with this:
1 Timothy 6:9-10 “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
It was as though Timothy was talking directly to those with a handy computer, fast internet, who are supposed to be researching clothe diaper choices and somehow end up on the Pottery Barn website looking at leather couches.
The love of money makes the blessings in life unsatisfying. Have you ever longed for something, finally got it and then felt discontent right away? No wonder the words "trap," "foolish," "plunge," "ruin," destruction," "evil," and "griefs" are used to describe money and all that it can buy.
It is not wrong to love beautiful things. It is not even wrong to have beautiful things. But the dangers comes when wanting comes before living. When discontentedness grows to bitterness.
It was as though Timothy was talking directly to those with a handy computer, fast internet, who are supposed to be researching clothe diaper choices and somehow end up on the Pottery Barn website looking at leather couches.
The love of money makes the blessings in life unsatisfying. Have you ever longed for something, finally got it and then felt discontent right away? No wonder the words "trap," "foolish," "plunge," "ruin," destruction," "evil," and "griefs" are used to describe money and all that it can buy.
It is not wrong to love beautiful things. It is not even wrong to have beautiful things. But the dangers comes when wanting comes before living. When discontentedness grows to bitterness.
Philipians 4:11-13 says, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Whether in plenty or in want, I would rather live like this:
"The LORD bless you and keep you;the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."
Numbers 6:24-26
No Pottery Barn sofa required.
What have you been ogling lately? And how do you balance contentedness with "wants"?
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