Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” (Psalm 73:25, ESV)
Wow. If this verse was truly how the majority felt and lived, advertisers would be out of business. We are accosted daily with messages of more, more, more!
I remember years ago there was a popular children’s video called, Madame Blueberry by Veggie Tales. It was our family favorite and instilled in the girls the message that ‘stuff’ will not make you happy.
This message was easy to live out when we lived in a small town with no real stores and before internet shopping came to be. Today, it’s much more of a struggle. Reality shows engage my family with tales of people who are getting makeovers of every kind. The stories pull on our emotions as we sit in our modest living room, somehow making us feeling like we have been robbed. When will someone come and transform our lives?
So, in an effort to quench the discontentment, we venture out and get ourselves new purses, shoes and closet organizers to help us keep track of all of our stuff. But the one thing we couldn’t get was satisfaction. Not in any stores.
There is a hole in our heart, a longing that can only be filled by Him. The world offers up all kinds of distractions and false messages, telling us that the answer to the emptiness can be found once we have...whatever they are selling.
Which is why we canceled our cable. Extreme? Maybe, but as women, the three of us have never been happier and more at peace since pulling that plug. No longer are we bombarded with coveted images and it’s opened up our living room to be...a living room. Books, bibles and conversation now occupy our hearts and minds.
We aren’t perfect. We still shop. And we like pretty, new things, but no longer do we live for them. How are you filling your heart’s desire these days?
Lord, I pray you’ll help us to recognize the lies that society and Satan are trying to distract us with and that you’ll change our hearts. Help us to choose to fill up our hearts with you—instead of shopping carts with stuff. Amen!
