I don't know about you, but when a new year comes around, I get reflective. I take time out and think about how far I've come and where I want to go. And for someone who sometimes is extremely hard on herself, much frustration comes up.
Why?
Well, I think about where I wanted to be in terms of career goals, relationship goals (yes, I have relationship goals) and financial goals. I want things; some things of a spiritual nature, but there are some things of a material nature too!
I enjoy watching HGTV and I watch the shopping channel from time to time and sometimes daydream about having some of the things I see. But sometimes it goes a little too far; my goals for attaining certain material things seemed to begin to be more important than my other goals.
I recently told a friend that I was convicted about this and confessed in my prayertime that I had been a bit too focused on the material.
In the parable of the Rich Young Man (Matthew 19:16-24), the Rich Young Man, wanted the right thing, to follow Jesus, he was doing the right thing; he kept the commandments.
But one thing stood in the way of him and eternal life, he could not give up his wealth!
Now I believe that whatever God has for each of us (car, home ownership, lots of material possessions), it is for us no question. But when we allow these things to shift our focus from the greater and bigger picture of eternal life and our real purpose here on earth, then our material things become a problem!
We were created for worship and praise to the one and only true God! Our material stuff is just that, STUFF! GOD THRU JESUS CHRIST SHOULD BE OUR FOCUS!
What do you think? Do you want to walk away sad from a life in Christ because the pull of the world's stuff is too great?
As for me, I'm hoping God will continue to convict and correct when I lose focus. I desire to set my heart on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
After all, we've brought nothing into this world, and we take nothing out...
Thanks Rev! I attempt to stay focused daily. I share my home with my husband and two daughters and between my stuff and their stuff getting intertwined, I find myself at times totally disconnected from the Father. Thanks be to God that I have a relationship with Him where I know where my source of help comes from. I spoke with a woman who has lived alone after a divorce for the past 15 years. She lives simply, no excess and I found myself wondering how sweet that must be. Then I zoomed in and realized, that's her life and I can't even begin to place myself there. I am exactly where God wants me at this time and after reading your blog recognized that I ought not lose focus,focusing on stuff that's not mine.
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This is soo true. Sometimes we get into all these materialistic things and we forget to give God our undivided attention.I'm going to attempt to stay focused on God and to be more in-sync with him
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