Danger of Indulgence

Are you tempted to replace perfectly good items with new ones? 

My wife still uses her original iPod and Kindle. They work just fine and she sees no need to update. In fact, a lot of our stuff is old. We just don’t mind buying used or delaying purchases until absolutely necessary. It’s easy to indulge ourselves in America as evidenced by the size of our closets, storage units, and credit card debt. Most people don’t wake up and say, “Hey, I’m going to indulge myself today.” No, it just happens more subtly. An indulgence is usually rationalized as being a need. Consider how many expensive pieces of exercise equipment have been purchased with the best of intentions. Yet after a few months, they begin collecting dust as they stand unused. We go to sleep disturbed over whether to replace a TV with a bigger and better one, while half the world’s children go to bed hungry. If you constantly seek to indulge your every desire, the result will be frustration and bondage. The key is learning to be content with whatever you have and giving thanks to God.

I’ve discovered that before buying something, it’s best to identify the actual need for the item. Then, allocate the money for it, find the best price, and pray about the purchase. God often allows us to have more than our basic necessities, of course, but leave the door open for Him to bless you. If you run ahead of Him, you’ll miss His best and the joy of seeing Him provide.

If you’re overloaded with credit card debt, IsuggestChristian Credit Counselors. They can create a debt management plan that will work for you you. For more information call the Crown Helpline: 800-722-1976 or visit online at crown.org/ccc.