Gratitude

Twice now The Lord has sent me to a foreign land and I've seen with my eyes how little people have. Some might even say the living conditions are "barbaric." Yet, I still struggle with wanting more. It's easy for me to be filled with gratitude for all God has given me when I'm in a third world country where people have so little, but it's another thing to live in gratitude and contentment when I'm back home surrounded by such opulence.

I've been blessed in my life, never knowing what it's like to feel hunger because there is no food or to be cold because I don't have a roof over my head.  By American standards, my parents weren't rich, but they certainly did well and we lived in a beautiful home in a nice neighborhood.  Although it wasn't a luxury car, I received my own car from my parents when I started driving.  There were always plenty of presents under the tree at Christmas and birthday gifts and parties were never denied to me.  My parents were able to pay for my college without leaving me with school loans.  Once I was married and no longer under the support of my parents, I continued to live a life without need. 

"Need" is the key word!  I've never known what it's like to live in need, rather I've only lived in want.  In our society, there are constant reminders of what we don't have.  There's always better cars on the road, more glamorous houses than mine, designer handbags on the arms of other women and electronic devices much finer that what I own.  It's easy to forget all that I have and get caught up in what I don't have.  That's where I struggle with sin. 

Over the last few years, God has opened my eyes to this sin in my life.  I don't think wanting nice things is a sin in itself, in my life, it becomes a sin when I want so much more that it distracts me from keeping my eyes on God and finding contentment and joy in all He has provided.  I have seen the most faithful Christians fall because of money.  I've known people that drifted away from God once their finances improved.  I've watched them struggle with greed as they desire to attain more and more money.  It's a tough thing to watch a friend walk on the path of wanting more money, while walking further away from Christ. 

I pray praises of gratitude every day for all God has given me and I'm never too proud to think that at any moment, I could lose it all.  Although a difficult prayer to pray, I ask the Lord daily to never let me have so much money that I lose sight of Him and His plans for my life.  It truly is a difficult prayer as I can easily become distracted by all there is around me that I don't have.  When I keep my eyes on God, I'm never in need.  If a luxury car, a bigger house, a better wardrobe or the latest in electronics turn my worship to "stuff" and not God, then I don't want it!

I have so much to be grateful for in my life.  Besides the material possessions, I have a husband who loves me, amazing daughters and Christ, who shed His blood on a cross so that I can have eternal life with Him.  I need nothing more!