1 John 2:15-17

I often question what it is that I want most in this world. I question if what I do with my money is smart, for a good cause, or just because I simply want something. If I go shopping for me, I am one of those people who feel a bit guilty afterwards for spending money on me as opposed to something that seems like a better cause... something that could forward God's Kingdom instead of feeding the cravings of my flesh or lusts of my eyes. Is my heart set on the things that I want or need, my desires or the desires of God for my life? Why do we invest so much, whether it be money, time, or energy, in things that will fade away on judgment day?

I sometimes get caught up in the moment... the moment that says "man, I want that so I'm going to have it one way or another" (surprisingly that has been books lately). My mind justifies it as "God wants me to be happy" or "it is Christian music or book and therefore it is a good thing to spend money on." My time and energy runs along the lines of "I don't have time to fit another thing in my schedule" or "I'm flat out exhausted". (I'm glad those who helped me the past few years never said that... or my mother as she raised 4 boys in addition to her only daughter). I'm not saying that the "little pleasures" in life are a bad thing, but courtesy of "impulsive buying" and those "justifying thoughts" I am a little scared to take a look at my iTunes and Amazon accounts some days. Courtesy of needing the biggest and newest and best and shiniest items, millions of people are in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt. How much of that could have gone to supporting a child who has no hope or any other person supporting them? How much more could have been given to support one of the multiple missionary friends I have?

We all get stuck in that moment when we are just too tired, don't have enough time, or when we sometimes think we need the newest, biggest, and best of something that the world has to offer. We start at that "what harm will one do?" moment... only some of us watch it grow from one to a thousand of something. Where do we spend most of our time and energy and money? Are we investing it in God's Kingdom or our own? Are we chasing those things that will perish or are we running after the eternal gift God has freely given? Where am I investing the "all" of my life? A friend of mine has told me multiple times, "Life on earth is but a vapor. The Kingdom of Heaven lasts forever." Wouldn't it be wise to invest in forever over a vapor?
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"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever."

~*1 John 2:15-17 (NLT)*~