I want more: More of what?

I live in a very materialistic and capitalistic country, where money or the lack of it, is a perennial problem for people, including a vast majority of Christians. Unfortunately since it is America, this idea has spread to other countries of the world. After all people from other countries come over here to seek the “American Dream”. 

It’s so easy to buy into its idea that more money and material wealth will bring us happiness. It promotes the elusive fantasy that more things bring happiness, and that just a little more than what one has right now will be enough. Because of this, companies prey on our human psychology by giving us credit cards to spend more money than we actually earn, and we are hooked into it. 

How sad! 

If you tune in to the news lately you will hear of the financial decisions that a major financial institution (Wells Fargo) got itself into, and it is backfiring on its leadership and employees; this is all evidence of this idea of wanting more. We often feel a hunger and emptiness that drive us. We want to fill it with more: more money, more food, and more fleshy love. 

However, trying to fill these desires which is a hole, is futile. Edward, in C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, could never be satisfied with enough Turkish taffy. He always wanted more. Likewise, we think more will satisfy us. 

We feel deprived when we don't have it, we ache, and we constantly fret for more. I have encountered some ladies who even become severely depressed, feeling caught in a black hole of emptiness, simply because they want more than they have, including skinny body like mine (sorry, mine is gene from heaven, not the one given by deliberately starving yourself in the quest for external beauty, lol). 

Friend, “enough” never comes, unless we confront the lie itself. The Bible calls this “greediness” in Ephesians 4:19 when it says, 

“Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness”

This longing for more is the earthly symptom of incompleteness and sin that we live in. Hmmm, brothers and sisters, it’s a frame of mind more than a circumstance. The desire for more should be a universal hunger for heaven, a longing for the only One who can truly fill us – God Himself. We can be satisfied, fulfilled, and content with Christ. I wish we can shun this other hunger for only material things and focus on the everlasting.

Don’t get me wrong, genuine financial or physical material problems are difficult, but we must seek them in the right way, without allowing discontentment and greediness. Our discontentment often comes when we make comparisons and when we envy other people even when we clearly see that they are not acquiring such wealth with clean hands. 

Imagine ministers of the gospel comparing and competing with the wealthy people in their congregations. 

Hi ministers: with all due respect to you and your ministry, I thought you are to follow a sacrificial call into the ministry. Sorry, if you are not happy about your call, then take that feeling to God instead of engaging in money making in the church that you are in charge of.

John Stuart Mill said, “I have learned to seek my happiness not by trying to fulfill all my desires but by limiting them.” What a better idea! Friend, you need to train your appetites, not be driven by them. 

Yes so many things we cannot afford surround us, but limiting your expansive desires and interests can lead to peace. Joseph Novello, in his book The Myth of More, says, “I desire to want what I have and not want what I do not have.” Think about that. Together, let's begin to challenge the myth that more makes us happy. 

Practically speaking, there is peace in simplicity. Personally I don’t like going about buying too many fancy purses and wrist watches, as I replied to a friend who once asked me the surprising question as to why I'm always carrying the same purse for so long, then later she found out that one of my only four purses is enough to buy all her 32 purses together with her 102 pairs of shoes. 

At that point, she was humbled and resolved that life is not just about more things, but quality…of course I say this not to brag about the quality of the few material possessions I have, but to point out that a few nice-looking outfits are better than a stuffed closet the world is getting you to get entangled with. 

The bulging closet brings the stress of choosing what to wear, what fits, what matches, and what to wear occasionally to justify buying it in the first place. It may take a little humility, but is pride worth the price?

Jesus said He neither had a home nor bed of His own. He lived a simple life. People mattered to Him, as did doing the will of His Father in heaven. Satan tempted Him in the wilderness with the myth of more. Satan promised, “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). 

Ironically, as with all of Satan’s lies, Jesus would not have gained more, He would have lost everything. It is a blessing to have enough money to live without fear. Yet, we need to be wise and discerning about what we need and what we chase after to gain happiness. Jesus spoke to this issue when He challenged us to build up heavenly treasure that will not be destroyed by moth or rust. 

Friend, you and I need God’s help on a daily basis, but you cannot get His help without a walking relationship with Him. Jesus is standing at the door calling you away from your current state of life, so that you can walk with Him. You cannot say no, and this is not a time to play church or religion games. He wants to save you, so confess your sins today and repent of them completely. 

I advice you to look for a bible based church and fellowship with believers. May God receive you as you come now, so that you can escape the wrath of God that is to come upon those who refuse to yield to His call. Amen. I am also praying for you.

Bible References:

I Timothy 6:10:

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Proverbs 28:25:

“He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

I Timothy 6:9:

“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

Luke 12:15:

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Matthew 6:24:

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Proverbs 15:27:

“He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.”

*Written by Mrs. Rabi E. 
*Shared by  Koinonite

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