If you’re dying to have something, chances are you’ll die without remembering it.
“I gotta have that.”
Have you ever said that? Well, of course you have… or at least you did using better grammar than I did. 🙂
First of all, wanting things is not necessarily a bad thing. We all do it. There are a lot of things we want that will make our physical life better and not harm our spiritual life. The distinction; however, is not the purpose of today’s Tiny Words. Big Life. post.
We have a finite number of breaths in this world. Why waste them longing for something you don’t have?
I know. I said above that we all do it and we do. This post’s purpose is to reason amongst ourselves and think about why it’s a good idea to not dwell on things we want. (It’s worth mentioning the emphasis on the word “dwell”. That’s the real biggie here.)
So, let’s say you really want that new car. After all, it has more room to haul the kids. Or maybe you want that new TV – the one that connects to all your devices such as phone, tablet, and computer? Or, (and this is the final one) – you want a new house – certainly nothing wrong with that. Most people do.
The issue is control. It’s about focus and attention on things that rob your life of enjoying the moments that you have. Think again about the word “dwell”. In this context, it’s practical meaning is to “consume”. In other words, when you “dwell” on something, it “consumes” your thoughts – which you’ll never get back.
Fast forward to your last days… We all hope that’s a long way off but we never know. Do you think you’ll be thinking about that new car, home, or TV?
I don’t and I hope I won’t.
When we get to that point, the goal is to look back and smile on the lives you touched and the lives that touched yours. After all, as a Christian, you’ve got a trip scheduled to see The Giver of Life Himself… God. That’s the thought you want to be focused on.
The Tiny Words. Big Life. “AHA!” moment is to live in the present and be thankful for what you have. We all have so much abundance. “Things” will never make our lives perfect. Only God, through an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, can do that.
So, live your life with an eye on the one true “thing” that will give you unlimited and eternal joy. Jesus!
Luke 12:15
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”