“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
–Philipians 4:19 (NLT)

Before I got married, I heard a comment during a church sermon that really made me think. My pastor at the time said that the most crowded church in America is the local shopping mall. Hundreds of people go there every day to worship the ever-changing world of beauty and fashion, and they freely give their money in order to possess the latest thing.

However, our wants can only be satisfied for a short while if we look to worldly or material things to satisfy us. A new car or fashionable clothes will certainly make you happy for a while, but eventually anything will break down or go out of style, and you’re back at the mall or car dealership once again.

Now I love shopping as much as the next woman, but God knows that contrary to the beliefs of popular culture, we can’t always get what we want whenever we want it. Instead of depending on things to make us happy, God wants us to be content with what we have. Sometimes we don’t realize we are only shopping around in order to fill a deep vacuum inside of us, instead of focusing on what we really need in our lives: a closer walk with God.

This lesson has been shown to us in various ways. As Tim said last week, the richest people may seem to have everything they could possibly want, but they’re usually very empty and unhappy inside. No matter how many houses, diamonds, cars or businesses they own, they just can’t remain satisfied for long. On the other end of the scale, there are extremely poor people who are perfectly happy with what they have. They may live with dirt floors in improvised shelters, or maybe they just don’t have enough food or clothing all the time, but they have learned how to make the best of their situations and maintain happiness, even in the face of financial poverty.

No matter how many Sometimes God will find an interesting way to teach this lesson of contentment. Right now Timothy and I are in the midst of a move between two houses. We’re staying with my family while we are waiting for the new house to close. Since we’re both totally blind, we usually use a taxi service to get around. But my parents’ house is in a desert area, so there is hardly any transportation for us. My parents have a lot of work to do on weekdays, so Tim and I are spending most of our time in their house. Instead of complaining about the lack of transportation, we’ve learned to enjoy our time at home, and to appreciate the times when we do go out with our parents.

Are you struggling to accept some new changes right now? Or, are you unhappy about not getting something you really want in your life? Before you impulsively run out to buy something new, I hope you will realize that worldly things will never truly satisfy you. In the Bible, Jesus said that you will ultimately thirst again after drinking the water which the world offers you, but God has provided a stream of living water which will quench your thirst forever. In other words, we’ll always keep buying more new stuff as long as we’re living in this world, but God really wants you to form or re-dedicate yourself to a relationship with Him. God has promised to satisfy you by fulfilling your needs. This means you won’t always get everything you want, but God has promised to provide everything you need so that you will live a fully satisfying and contented life.

I challenge you to ask God how you can be more content with what you have today, instead of obeying the world’s demands and filling your life with a cluttered pile of stuff. Since God is the only one who will satisfy you yesterday, today and forever, I pray you will try making Him the object of your fulfillment.

Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You can also send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 377 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 260, Placentia, CA 92870. Finally, check out our online store at www.amway.com/burdicksbargains. In order to support us, please register for free on our store website before purchasing anything. Thank you!

If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 641-715-3900, ext. 874157.