WHERE IS YOUR HOPE?

 

He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 5:10 NKJV

 Many believers base their identity on their material possessions/wealth. We tend to think that attaining riches and possessions is making it in life. Loving riches, money and possessions is a dangerous thing, a very dangerous thing. We most times forget that God knows our needs. And as a Christian, we must believe that God works out everything for our good! So we must stop chasing what we think may satisfy us here on earth, and start looking toward heaven and place our focus on God. We become workaholics all because of desiring more and more because our identity is based on that. Steven Covey, in his book: “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, introduces a concept he calls “Sharpening the Saw.” Sometimes the most effective thing we can do is to rest. Though it seems counter-intuitive, it really isn’t. Resting allows one to think and reflect and be able to catch oneself chasing vanity.

Material Possessions are property or belongings that are tangible. Something owned; any intangible possession that is owned by someone;

Wealth means an abundance of valuable possessions or money. Or a plentiful supply of a particular desirable thing.

Examples of material possessions include: personal property, including homes or automobiles; monetary savings, such as the accumulation of past income; and the capital wealth of income producing assets, including real estate, stocks, bonds, and businesses.

Cleo spent the biggest part of his life chasing riches, he was never content so he went on and on after money. He thought that possessions would bring him the satisfaction he was searching for. He based his identity on obtaining possessions. But, he never actually attained the satisfaction he was searching for. He didn't know that true satisfaction only comes from God. He thought it came from owning the latest car and owning a bigger house, a million dollars in the bank. He truly believed wealth obtained here on earth would bring him satisfaction. He believed what he was thirsting for could only be found in material possessions and material possessions alone.

Interestingly the more we put our focus on getting more money and more things, then they seem to start reducing. Let us not chose to focus on riches and desires of this world, and forgot that God is his provider. Let us trust that God will bless us in ways we may not see coming. Not knowing that if we could get our focus off chasing money God’s blessings would be bigger than what we were once chasing. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.