We are driven to have more. It began in the Garden of Eden. God gave everything to mankind except for one tree. Guess what. We had to have it all. This desire robs us from enjoying what we have, being thankful, and living content lives. Contentment doesn't come naturally. It is something we must learn. I am still trying to learn this lifestyle. Check it out!Here are some things we can learn from this passage:
Learn to Relinquish
Be WILLING and ABLE to live on almost nothing. We are trying to figure out how little we need to live with. (We stopped our cable TV, Internet, and land-line phone.) It's actually becoming an enjoyable challenge.
Learn to Embrace.
Be able to receive blessings. STOP trying to explain why you have what you have (God sometimes chooses to bless us.) and STOP telling people how poor you are. Poverty is not a virtue, but contentment is.
Learn the Source of all you have.
Since contentment doesn't come naturally, it must be aquired super-naturally. WITH CHRIST I can be poor and content or I can manage a bunch of junk and be content.
Learn to Share.
Sharing is a "sweet smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God." God provides FOR you and God provides THROUGH you.
Learn to Trust.
The Scriptures say, "And this SAME God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."
I love the conclusion of the matter: "Now all GLORY TO GOD our Father forever and ever! Amen." Live to God's glory, in a recession or during prosperity, in good times and in bad times.
Something worth learning.
