Do I Really Need It?

I have 598 unread emails. It is an email address that I don’t use for work, only privately. No, I am not rude for not opening them up. They are all too much of a temptation. They are all emails from shops selling their wares.

Do you sign up for stores emails to be sent to you? When they have sales. When they are showing you the latest seasonal stuff? This is all well and good but for a while now my computer has been inundated with emails about sales etc.

I don’t want to waste my time, waste my money on stuff I don’t really need.

I don’t want to be tempted.

Yes, I enjoy nice stuff. I enjoy getting bargains. But when I noticed I was buying things I did not need, on things I could do without, I decided to do something about it. My life is so busy I don’t have time to often go to the shops, so if I ignore the online shopping I am not tempted to buy.

I had decided a while ago to concentrate on things in my life that were more important. I had decided a while ago to use my money, my means, for more important purposes.

How many of us waste time, money, resources for stuff that really is not worth it?

I’m not saying don’t enjoy yourself with hobbies and delights but excessively? When so many don’t have and there are so many others in need.

Maybe my little can help a few.

Jesus did state to us in Luke’s Gospel:

 ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’

Luke 12:15 NRSV

Then Jesus told a parable about a rich man who had produced abundantly but his shed would not fit in all his crops so he pulled it down and built a bigger one…..

‘… there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

Luke 12:18b-21 NRSV

This story made me think… God did not complain about the riches or stores the man had, only that everything was for himself. No fellow man was given anything? No sharing of his grain and wealth? No thought of His relationship with God? No considering what was the will of God for all this wealth and riches?

We all may not have worldly riches, but we all have gifts, abilities that God wants us to use for helping each other. Giving God glory by giving back to Him or to our neighbour.

And so, the NOT OPENING TEMPTING SALES EMAILS was a choice I made to help me stop buying things I really don’t need.

Have you heard God talking to you about things in your life? Have you been listening? Could He be saying something to you through this blog? What are you using your gifts and abilities for?

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Have you heard God talking to you about things in your life?

Have you been listening?

What are you using your gifts and abilities for?