I am not sure why you live your life and love it so much, but I know why I do. It is because Jesus is in it. I am married to a beautiful wife and have two young daughters whom I adore, but without Jesus I am nothing. I would be just like everyone else when it comes to raising them up if the Lord was not with me. I would strive to do all I can do on my own to make my children and my wife happy, and still fail at the end if God was not in my life. So because the Lord does reign in my mortal body, my life is different. Instead of wanting so many different things, and desiring to be pleased by other people, my goal is to see who else needs help and what I can do to supply their needs. You see, when God is in our lives, He gives us selfless desires and casts out all the selfishness out the window. Paul taught us, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:4,5) When we start doing this, this is when the Lord will start doing an amazing work in our lives.
Paul also said, “all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.” (1 Corinthians 10:23,24) What he said is very important for us all to grasp. Surely, there are many things that our flesh desires in this life. However, by going after our wants and needs, instead of the benefit of others, we are often filled up with lust and covetousness. And this causes us to be lovers of ourselves and what we have done and even gained because of money. Not what we have done to helping others with our money, by ourselves alone instead. We all have gained some good things in this life, but was it all worth it? Did you really need to get a new phone? How about a gaming console, where all your time will be wasted? You know what you last bought, but was it for the benefit of God and helping others or for yourself? Please think about this! If you are for Christ, then more of what you will do will be for bringing joy into other people’s lives and not yourself.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray that we will all become more loving and kind towards one another. That all of our lustful and covetous thoughts will be cast out of our lives. That we stop our selfish ambitions and learn how to be selfless in all that we do. We cannot do anything good unless You are with us. We cannot learn how to be loving towards our neighbor, unless You are leading us. For many years did I think that I could gain all the earthly treasure in life, and then gain happiness from those things. However, I was so wrong. These worldly treasures all became useless over time, and I always needed something better. There was never true satisfaction for what I had, and this joy I thought I had never lasted. Thank You for opening my eyes to my lust, that I could finally discover what true love and joy is like. It isn’t found in earthly treasures, but in doing the will of my Father. Yes, Lord, doing Your will is what leads me to true happiness that never fails. I can now love my neighbor as myself, because Your love is in me. Thank You, God. I love You. I believe in You. Amen.
