You may not have all that you want but do you have all that you need? The insatiable desire to have more and more things is a sure indication that at the core of your being there is an emptiness that things can never provide. The late multimillionaire, John D. Rockefeller was once asked, “How much money does it take to be satisfied?” He replied, “Just a little bit more!”
Genuine contentment does not come from what we possess but rather from what possess us. The Bible says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” (1Timothy 6:6-7)
Look around your home today. Yes, even the attic and garage and in your closets and under the bed. How much stuff is there that you don’t use and don’t really need? How much of what you are hoarding could someone less fortunate really use. Just ask yourself, in a time of personal tragedy or loss, how much comfort would any of that stuff offer you? How much peace of mind and soul?
In the same way, look way down into the recesses of your soul – down where nobody knows and nobody sees except you and God, and see how much stuff is there that is pulling you down and destroying the peace that you so desperately need. Isn’t it time for you to release this extra baggage, to ask God to forgive you of your sins, to give you soul peace and fill your life with gratitude and contentment?
The answer to our deepest need is not more things, more activity, more excitement, more entertainment, but rather a person named Jesus. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Without Jesus, we will never be content. Without him, we will never know real peace. Genuine contentment and peace cannot be bought. It comes from Jesus as a gift to you. How do you receive this gift from Jesus? Just like you receive any gift – you accept it with Thanks.
In His Love
Charles
