“What would you do if you had one million pounds?” That was the question my friend asked me while we waited for our children in the school playground a few days ago. We were chatting about financial difficulties and she asked me that and proceeded to tell me what she would do with the money. I must confess it was not hard to answer that question. I found myself saying: I would buy a house up front, perhaps a new car, some clothes for all the family, a nice holiday, a boat for my husband, a pony for the children (maybe one each), and I went on and on. I did not even realize that by the time I finished I had spent all the money and some more!

As I drove home all those things kept playing in my mind. I found myself thinking: if only I had those things, life would be so much better! We would have no worries and we would be happy. The more I thought about it the more convinced I was those things would definitely be the solution to all our problems!

What is wrong with this picture you might be wondering! I had let the desire for material things take hold of my heart! When that happened, I took my eyes off God and His faithfulness. I stopped thanking Him for what He gives us everyday. I began to think that those things would be the end of my problems and would make me happy! We do not own a house or a new car. We cannot afford to go on a nice holiday, have a boat or ponies. What we do have is much more valuable than that! We have Jesus. We have His forgiveness and His love. In His great mercy He keeps us healthy and helps us everyday with what we need. God gave my husband and I the love we have for each other and He gave us two beautiful and healthy children.  We have been married for 10 years and are very happy! What more could one want?

When we are busy occupying our minds with the desire for more material things, it is very easy to forget that God, in His grace and mercy, gives us everything and we forget to praise Him. God knows our needs and He promised we would lack nothing.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 not to worry about material things but to seek His kingdom.

²⁵ ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?²⁸ ‘And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

May God help me be thankful for what He has given me. May I always trust in His promise!

God bless!