The more trinkets we have, the less satisfied we become. The bigger our barns, the greater our stress. The more money that we make, the more we spend. It seems strange and bizarre and odd, but it happens to also be the truth.
Have you ever wondered why that is?
I believe that the problem is deep down at our inner core, the very fabric of our being. The problem is that we are typically selfish and not selfless. This can be seen best by looking at our recent past. As in today, for instance.
- Who were you most interested in pleasing today?
- Who did you dress, drive around, plop down in front of the television to be entertained?
- Who did you pamper by brushing hair and teeth, and by putting on clean clothes?
Wasn’t it you?
Oh sure, we aren’t totally self-centered. If you have kids that you take care of, you had to feed them. You may have driven them around, dressed them, and met their basic needs. But the fact is that we’re mainly concerned about ourselves. We tend to be selfish, not selfless.
And that is why we are rarely content with what we have. We want to newest iPhone, to wear the latest fashion, and to drive the shiniest sports car in the neighborhood. It seems that keeping up with the Jones’ is the one thing that keeps us unhappy.
The Bible explains this about us. For example, it says in James 4:1-6,
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
The Minimalist Is A Happy Person
God wants us to be content with what we have, not focused and getting what we don’t yet have. When we strive and compete with the Jones’, life becomes a competition rather than a blessing. Instead of being thankful that my neighbor has been blessed with a new house, a nice car, or whatever, we usually want to get a leg up on the competition.
If Mr. Jones has a 2011 model sports car, then we need the 2012 model. If Mr. Jones has a beautifully manicured lawn, then we feel inadequate when we haven’t mowed ours since Tuesday. You see, life was never meant to be a competition. You were made for a purpose. You were made for worship. Worship of God–not shiny toys.
Here are 10 things that these Bible verses above seem to suggest.
- Too often we’re occupied with wars and fights (disagreements) with other people.
- The main war that takes place is in our heart.
- We lust and murder and covet…and we don’t get what we want. We are unsatisfied in our pursuit of happiness through “stuff.”
- We don’t have what we truly want because we haven’t asked God for what He wants us to have.
- When we do ask and pray to God, we ask with wrong motives. We pray with our fingers crossed behind our backs.
- We want to be best buddies with the world (so that the world gives us stuff), but we end up at war with our Creator.
- The Spirit of God who abides in the child of God is not happy when we do this. He yearns for us with jealousy. God wants the best for us, but we often don’t listen with ears that can hear.
- But praise be to God that He gives more grace. The God of the Bible is the Lord of second chances!
- If you stay proud in heart, you will never achieve God’s plan for you. You’ll always be spinning your wheels.
- But to the one who is humble, He gives a greater grace. In other words, the one who is content and satisfied in all that God has and has given them, will be the one who experiences true happiness.
Isn’t it about time you focused less of getting “stuff” and more on getting “God” and His plan for you? I think so. And so does God.
What Should You Do Next? Allow Me To Suggest Two Things:
- Please leave a brief comment or suggestion below and let me know what you think about this article, whether good, bad or otherwise.
- Look down. See those social sharers? Would you mind tweeting, sharing or “liking” it to your social media followers? (You’re awesome, by the way. Thanks!)
* Image credit: digitalpim. (Creative Commons)
What are some of the things in our American culture that we become so focused on that we lose sight of true happiness? And how can we shift our attention to focus on the things that matter most in this life, and become the minimalist?
Hey Charles, happy birthday! I think one thing we focus on too much that diminishes happiness is the need for security. We have a fear of the future, that God’s provision will be inadequate. I guess developing a mindset that embraces trust is the antidote.
Thanks for this post! I like your design.
Hey, thanks for stopping by, Rob!
I couldn’t agree with you more regarding our obsession with security. Too often we equate comfort in this world with God’s blessing. Yet just the opposite could be true. God never leaves us or forsakes us, and His children are always under His protection. But sometimes His plan of conforming us into the image of Jesus hurts like crazy!
Question for you: Have you been able to figure out how to focus less on “earthly security” and more on “divine protection?” I ask because I’m looking for some solid advice. 😉
Great question. No, I have not been able to figure it out 🙂
Sometimes I think I might fit that label of “he’s so heavenly minded he ain’t no earthly good”. But I guess developing more trust, less anxiety is just an on-going, lifelong process.
Yes, we are always in the progressive sanctification process. Thankfully God the the Lord of second chances!
I started this shift in thinking several years ago. It is amazing how your perspective changes when you are no longer worried about what others think or trying to please them and focus only on God. Great post,and have a wonderful birthday!!
P.S. You’re not old. I just turned 40 this year and I feel better and more determined now to make a difference than I ever did in my 20s or early 30s. Have a great day!
That’s totally awesome, Tammy! I love your usage of “shift” to describe the change in perspective. I think you’ve stumbled on the key to contented living as a Christian. A “shift” must occur in our thinking, away from self-centeredness and closer to selflessness. I’m so happy for you!
My wife turned 40 last month and she feels much the same way you do about it.
PS: How did you actually make the “shift” in our perspective? I’m trying to learn and define that more. Your answer will greatly help me!
Charles,
What a fantastic post! Thank you for taking a risk & speaking the truth in love. I couldn’t agree more.
Happy Birthday
Thanks Leigh! I’d much rather blog about things that are true and beneficial, like hopefully this article was. And thanks for wishing me a happy birthday!
By the way, what do you usually blog or write about?
You would think that I would be at the head of the line going minimalist. I live on a boat. I have no room for things I don’t need.
Nevertheless, it is hard to say that I don’t need things. When I see that I have more clothes than I need, I worry that some will wear out or be ruined, and I will be somewhere that I can’t get more. So I keep clothes that I have not worn in more than two years, because I might need them “sometime.”
I’m that way about books. I love books. I cling to books. At least three times in my life I have donated more than a thousand books to my local library, and still I accumulate books. Thank goodness for Kindle. It helps keep my hoard within bounds. I still find myself gathering up hard copy books, and for some things, only the hard copy will do. I can do Bible study and research with my Logos software where I have many translations and commentaries. But when I want to meditate, I need to hold a heavy, softbound Bible in my hand, turning real pages, hearing the rustle of the paper, smelling the ink or whatever it is that is the aroma of books.
And I hoard food. Not in a stingy way. I am happy to share whatever I have. Still, something in me feels worried that I won’t have enough if I don’t have enough for three months.
I’m not sure all these instincts are bad, but I suspect they could be managed better. I think the fear of being in need overwhelms my common sense, and it certainly flies in the face of faith in God’s provision.
I think the key to managing possessions of all kinds is gratefulness that drives good stewardship of all things. I know that when I remember that something is God’s gift to me, I value it in a different way. I use it differently. I want to show God my appreciation by getting full vaue from his gift. I hear a lot of people talk about cutting back and pinching pennies and making ends meet. That kind of talk is irritating, because it is the language of scarcity and fear, exactly the mentality that makes me hoard things. I want to learn the language of thankfulness and generosity. I think when I can live that way, minimalism will become abundance.
Katherine, where do you keep all those books on the boat?!?!? LOL.
Yes, a Kindle is perfect for someone like you. I also love the feel of a paper book. I love the turn of the page, rather than the swipe of a screen.
What things have you done to decrease the number of possessions you have?
Great post and reminder, Charles. Comparing ourselves to others… and trying to keep up with the them is a great distraction. I remember that at one point in my life I had to cancel my subscriptions to magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart, etc. They were making me covet things I thought I needed to be happy. The temptation to have more is all around us. Our dreams are being hijacked by marketing, which diverts our focus from our true calling to what is temporary and unable to satisfy.
Happy Birthday to you.
Maria, that’s a great point. All those magazines (media) tend to focus on our covetousness in order to make us feel we’ve just got to have that next great thing or we’re missing out. I’m glad you took the initiative to cancel those subscriptions. That’s an excellent step in the right direction of strategic minimalism.
Question: Out of curiosity, do you think those types of magazines are a “temptation” for Christian women? Just a guy wondering here, is all… 😉
I think we focus too much on the bars that our places of employment set for us to “remain competitive” for job security or promotion. I work in a Christian workplace, and the worry and stress to fit in and keep up with the Joneses is just as prevalent there as it is in the secular organizations I’ve worked with.
Keith, that’s an excellent point. I’ve worked for some pretty competitive bosses and companies, and nothing we did was really ever enough. And sadly, it can be like that at church as well. Too often we Christians can model an “I’m holier than thou” attitude which is sinful and discouraging to everyone around.
Question: What kinds of things did you put into practice so as not to fall into that “competition” trap?
When asked the question “Do you view the glass half empty or half full?” and your answer is “half empty”, you need a smaller glass.
Nice, I like that one!
So…is you glass half empty or half full?
Charles,
Happy Birthday, first off!!
I have been shown I only need to depend on Him day by day, not having a regular job. (My husband works.) I thought I needed to,and did for many years, but my husband needs me here at home, the Lord has shown me. I regret that I took it on myself when my kids were here. They really needed me, but I was deceived.
We don’t live fancy and don’t need to. You don’t have to have all the gadgets most people have to have to be happy. We don’t have cable or I-phones and I don’t feel I am missing one thing.
Not that that makes me any better. Believe me, I’ve learned my lessons the hard way.
Megan
Megan…better late than never!
I’m glad you made the right choice for your husband and family. They will appreciate now and later in life!
Also, it is amazing how well we can get along in life without all the stuff holding us back, yes? Glad you’re doing it.
PS: What were some specific things you did to dial down life, etc.?
So you had a few posts this week that I would consider you all up in my business…. By way of the Holy Spirit. Thank you so much for this because I have been at war over things and it is a losing battle. I am ashamed. I love the Lord and want to win with Him!
Thanks, Jervetta. I tend to write posts that I personally need myself. It’s a way of working out my own salvation, if you know what I mean.
Keep focused on God and His glory. Pray at all times. Fight the flesh. Seek godly wisdom and counsel, and rely on the Holy Spirit for your strength and sustenance.
Also, if you need further guidance, feel free to email me directly and ask about whatever your struggling with. I’ll do my best to give you biblical answers that will assist you. God bless!