It is so difficult to catch ourselves in overconsumption. We see what others have and want to feel the way they appear to feel, so we buy what they have, hoping it will do the trick. And it does, for a little. Then, more time passes, and we find ourselves wanting more and more of what we truly do not need. Consumption is never filling; it always leaves you wanting more because it was not designed to complete you. If you feel empty, more stuff will fill your house, but it will not fill your cup. It is good to save up or budget properly for a fun purchase, but it turns dangerous when we use buying as a tool to help us emotionally. That is when impulse shopping occurs, credit cards are misused, and the budget is forgotten.
I found my spending goes up the more time I spend on social media. I get convinced I need that product when, in reality, I was fine without it; we are being tricked into believing a lie. The lie is that we will be happy the more we have, but the verses below will help you realign your mindset to what God says we should be seeking and how to treat our money correctly.
Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Contentment is a massive struggle in the world, and as someone who needs to be reminded daily of the contentment that comes from God, this verse is an amazing reminder. It tells us we need to reject the thoughts of jealousy or our desire for more. The only thing promised is today; think about how your needs were met today. You ate, you were kept warm, and you were loved; that is what we have to be grateful for. The future is never promised, and the past is already gone; focus on the blessings of today.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 says, “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”
People do desperate things for more money. Some go as far as to sacrifice their values, give up precious time with loved ones, lie, cheat, and steal to grow their bank account. Sadly, some even become so focused on building their own empire that they forget to work towards growing God’s kingdom. This verse tells us that when we love money, it corrupts our hearts, and our once-righteous path becomes destroyed.
Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What do you value the most? You can usually tell by your bank account statement. How do you invest your money? Are there ways you are giving to help others? Are you tithing? These are questions to ask ourselves when evaluating our hearts. Money and possessions can take such deep roots in our identity that we forget it is not the amount of money that defines our character but how we use the money God has given us that exposes the truth of our hearts.
Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
As mentioned above, money can cause us to compromise ourselves and our godly values. One way to ensure God is our master is to ask yourself, how would God want me to spend this money? Should I be saving? Can I help someone? Do I need another _____? This verse encourages us to be objective so we make sure our hearts are after God and not wealth. It is great to have financial goals, but we cannot let those goals cloud our judgment to the point where there is no room for God in our lifestyle.
Colossians 3:5-8 says, “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.”
As a Christ follower, I had to ask myself, why am I jealous of someone who is not following God? Why am I jealous of someone who has no relationship with Jesus? What is there to be jealous of? I have nothing to envy when their life is not pointing people to Christ. When we accept Christ into our hearts, we are no longer part of the world, so greed should have no part in us. Greed can disguise itself in many different ways. It can look like comparison, overspending, lying to appear richer, and even ambition can be a form of greed. It is good to do a continual check-in with yourself and what God wants for your life.