Hi!
My name is Jennifer and I am a recovering shopaholic....
Yes, you heard right. Several year's ago I was drowning in credit card debt and was in bondage to a small piece of plastic known as the credit card. Thankfully through God's mercy and grace, He lifted me out of the pit of debt and freed me from the bondage that almost destroyed my life. Although God has brought me a long ways, I still struggle with the desire to have material things. The desire to go shopping, to spend money! It honestly makes me pretty sick! I don't want to desire material things and I certainly don't want to ever find myself back in that slimy pit, but I would be lying if I told you that I never struggled with my old habits and destructive ways.
The other day I was listening to KLOVE and they said something really profound. They were talking about how every dollar we have, every minute we are given can be used to plant seeds into the world or into eternity. Then they asked listeners to think about where they were planting seeds.
For so many years, I was planting all my seeds into the world. I had to have that dress or that trendy pair of shoes. I was buying material things to help fill a void in my heart that only God could fill. Today, I still struggle with the temptations of the world, which say we need to have all of that "stuff" in order to be happy and fulfilled. My prayer and plea is that I would be planting seeds for God's eternal kingdom. I pray that God will continually shape and mold me to be more like Him, that I won't care about the things of this world. I pray that I won't try to fill the places of my heart with things that will only perish, but with things eternal!
The Bible says "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy. For where your treasure is, your heart will also be. No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can not serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:19,21 and 24)
I want to be content with what I have. I don't want to be in constant need of more. I just want God! He is more than enough....
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." (1st Timothy 6:6-8)
Lord -
I pray for your strength each day to face the temptations of this world. Help me to desire You and not material possessions that have no eternal value. Lord, I am weak without you.
Amen!