Tired of hearing about materialism? Tired of being accused of it? In our never-satisfied culture, materialism is not only a way of life; it is part of the American Dream. Turn on your television or open a magazine and you will see ads and commercials trying to convince you that you need more “stuff” to be happy. We live in an environment which thrives on the “if only” syndrome. If only I had a bigger paycheck, then I’d be happy. If only we owned a nicer home...if only I had that car…if only we lived in the correct place, wore the right clothes, and enjoyed vacations at the choicest spots, then we would be happy. Too many people struggle with “destination disease,” desperately hoping that their lives and families will be better when they arrive. Most reach the middle of their life crying out, “Stop the world, I want to get off!” or “Get me out of this Rat Race!” But they are afraid of stopping their world or making radical changes—fearful it will suddenly throw them into a worse situation. So they stay in their Rat Race and suffer, getting more and more frustrated as their life races out of control.
What Is the Good Life?
We must all come to a point of evaluation. What do we expect out of life? How will we measure success? How much of ourselves will we give to the ones we really love? What is the real driving force behind this void, this emptiness that we are facing? As we consider the danger of measuring our success and happiness by the things we possess, we would do well to note the four ways that materialism will hurt us.
1. Materialism generates worry.
Matthew 6:25 reminds us, “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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Whatever you focus your attention and your time on, will generate worry. Better said…the more stuff you have, the more things you need to take care of.
2. Materialism wears you out.
Proverbs 23:4 says, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.” Haven’t you noticed that when you are finally getting a little closer to “keeping up with the neighbors” that they refinance and you get further behind? Part and parcel to this Rat Race existence is the pace of life created by our inherent desire to attain. The very speed of it wears people down.
3. Materialism creates dissatisfaction.
I am convinced that our desire to constantly get more is a ploy of Satan to create a desire that is satisfied by self and not by God, who alone is able to meet all our needs. This is why the Lord tells us to be content with what we have. God knows we can never be satisfied by things or the constant pursuit of possessions. “Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’ ” (Hebrews 13:5, NASB).
4. Materialism promotes depression.
In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul shares, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” When we find ourselves comparing our lifestyle, our income, and our accumulations with others, we get depressed. Too often the Enemy has been able to take us down a detour, making us think happiness is just around the corner if only we will buy a certain thing. But if you are anything like me, you will have found over and over again that the “blue bird of happiness” flew the coop just before you bought this thing you could not live without. Truly, only the Lord can satisfy our souls. He alone can give us the significance, meaning in life, and the satisfaction we try so hard to find in “things.” Our goal of the truly good life only comes when we put others before ourselves, saving before spending, and giving before receiving. This is one of the key principles that God reinforces throughout His Word in such passages as Ephesians 4:2-4, 29 which tells us to “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called.…Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” On the journey with you, Pastor Glen
