Thoughtful Thursday: Possessive Possessions - Denise Pass
by | Jan 7, 2016 | Believers, Body of Christ, Chosen, Christian, Christian Encouragement, Christianity, counseling, Count Your Blessings, Family, Family Life, Finances, Gifts, God, Gratitude, Healing, Hope, Human Rights, Humility, inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jewish, Joy, Joyful living, knowing God, Life, Lord, Love, materialism, Matters, Mental Health, Ministry, Money, Moral, parenting, Peer Pressure, Perspective, Philosophy, Positive Thinking, Praise, Promises, psychology, Purpose, Recovery, Relationship, Religion, revelation, Salvation, Sovereignty, Spiritual, Temptation, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving, Theology, Truth, Uncategorized, Victorious Christian Living, wisdom, Worldview |
Inspirational thought of the day:
All that we think we own we cannot keep and it is not ours, after all.
Scripture:
Job 1:21
He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. May the name of the LORD be blessed!”
Ah. The American Dream. Much that is included in this utopic hope is good. Freedom. Peace. Happiness. But part of the American Dream is tied up in materialistic goals.
Somehow happiness becomes equated with owning things. Lots of them. Or they own us. A home that is much larger than necessary, nice things, a perfect family, involvement in a zillion things.
I confess, I bought it, too. Still do. But God continues to lovingly pry my fingers open to release it all to Him.
There is a comfort in owning things and having things settled, without fear of losing them. Yet the human condition is that there is nothing certain in this life. How does one function in an insecure world void of anything lasting? Our future hope.
As devastating as it is when we lose something we cherished, or worse yet, a loved one passes away who is irreplaceable, there is an inner joy kindling with the inexpressible joy that we will have in Heaven when we no longer long for anything or anyone and have no fear that we will ever lose what God gives us.
Eternity is in the hearts of all men. A desperate want for something more than what surrounds us. We pacify this want with what we own or our earned place in this world, but that is only temporary. Why would God create such a condition for man to live in?
Because we were not made just for this world. We were made for eternity with Him. We are passing through down here and it is so very hard for us to remember when things are given and stripped away that we have something far greater, beyond comprehension that Christ has already given to us.
What we are given is not for us, after all, but for His glory.
We are in the waiting room right now, waiting for our complete blessing in Him in Heaven. While we wait, we temporary hold onto what God has placed in our lives with open hands, palm up – worshiping Him when He gives and when He takes, for He allows it all for our good and His glory.
Lord, help us to be filled with gratitude for everything You allow into our lives, even when things don’t make sense. Give us Your eternal perspective and help us to glorify You in it all.
