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Hoosier, I don't think what you're feeling is such a sin. At least not the way you explained it.
I think you may be having an "instincts going awry" moment. Instinct tells us to get as much as we can, as quickly as we can, and even to get excess, but not because of greed. It's because inwardly we're feeling some sort of fear of something, and instinct tells us, "What if that fear means we're about to run into trouble? What if it's a flood coming? A famine? What if there's a competing tribe in the area that wants to take my stuff?" So often, the reaction to unnameable stresses is to "gather more stuff".
You'll see this a lot in the cliche of a woman who says, "I feel terrible about (such and such)...hey...I'll go shopping!"
(I hate that one, BTW, being a woman who despises shopping, but I couldn't think of anything better off the cuff.)
I think you might want to ask yourself whether you're afraid of anything right now, or concerned about anything. Is anything in your life about to change? Is something making you feel really unsettled? This *could* in that case just be a stress reaction. You speak of the nice things you do have. Do you have an inward fear that they'll suddenly go away?
I just don't see a lot out of you that says "Naked bold-faced do-anything-to-get-it greed". That's why I put forth these questions. Also because Freud is dead and SOMEBODY has to jump in. Just kidding.
We are always so quick to blame ourselves and to chastise ourselves, and okay, sure, maybe sometimes we ARE doing wrong things and it's good to give ourselves that little wakeup call. But not every single time. Sometimes we need to give ourselves the benefit of a doubt before indicting ourselves and throwing away the key. I just don't see you as a rabid seething sinner, Hooser...LOL. I don't always agree with you, being a heathen and all, but I don't see from your words a single vindictive bone in your body...so maybe give yourself a pass this one time.
Wow, JerZ hit the nail on the head. On top of this...Hoosier-Guy, You may be a Christian, but guess what...I've got a little secret for ya (but don't tell anyone ssshhhh) YOU'RE ALSO HUMAN! Can you believe it?! Just kidding...
Sometimes, when I am stressed, I like to go shopping. Not clothes shopping or anything...I usually just go grovery shopping and often by the kids junk food or something that I wouldn't normall buy them. Other than this, I usually hate shopping. I think shopping releases endorphines (happy juice Sometimes when you are wanting something that you really do not NEED, it also often stems from boredom. Sometimes we just have to break the monotony in our lives...spice things up a bit. Otherwise we get stuck in the same ole rut and become stale or stagnated. I have done this quite often. I even experience this in my church. Sometimes you just have to do something different. I really do not think this is wrong or a sin, as long as it is within reason and you're not hurting anyone or putting yourself into debt beyond your means. As long as you are giving your 10% and doing the right thing in life, I think you;re entitled to enjoy a bit of what you have (or perhaps want). However, you may find after obtaining this item, you really aren't happy with it afterall...therefore PRAY about it before doing it!
Because of reasons beyond my control, I have been living *without* all my stuff for the past 17 months.
Except for my computer, my little DVD player, and a few clothes, everything I use has been rented.
I miss my stuff.
We aren't our possessions; I am not much into retail therapy.
Ownership should never define what we are.
But I gotta admit, I am looking forward to becoming reacquainted with my food processor.
Two things helped me tremendously when I had this problem:
I stopped buying and looking at magazines. The ads are beautiful and designed to make you want the thing.
I developed a mantra that goes, "What you own, owns you."
Two things helped me tremendously when I had this problem:
I stopped buying and looking at magazines. The ads are beautiful and designed to make you want the thing.
I developed a mantra that goes, "What you own, owns you."
Excellent mantra! I am going to write that down and paste it on the cupboard for both my wife and I to see.
I never did want what my neighors or family had, never felt the need to have more "stuff". When I was growing up, we were very poor. Most of the time without electricity or plumbing, and a battery radio that dad would turn off during commercials to save power. In the summer, we bathed in the beautiful , clean creek that flowed through the farm where we were tenents. In the winter we bathed in a tub behind the stove in the kitchen. We four children didn't know that we were poor. Mom and dad did their best to have fun with us. We had no toys, so we used our imaginations, sometimes we didn't have enough food to satisfy our appetites, so we went berry picking or if it was past garden time,we could dig for potatoes that we overlooked. We children didn't know we were poor. I still don't feel the need for much more than thecessities. I have a home thats paid for, a family to love and to love me back, and a loving God who has blessed me these many years..
I never did want what my neighors or family had, never felt the need to have more "stuff". When I was growing up, we were very poor. Most of the time without electricity or plumbing, and a battery radio that dad would turn off during commercials to save power. In the summer, we bathed in the beautiful , clean creek that flowed through the farm where we were tenents. In the winter we bathed in a tub behind the stove in the kitchen. We four children didn't know that we were poor. Mom and dad did their best to have fun with us. We had no toys, so we used our imaginations, sometimes we didn't have enough food to satisfy our appetites, so we went berry picking or if it was past garden time,we could dig for potatoes that we overlooked. We children didn't know we were poor. I still don't feel the need for much more than thecessities. I have a home thats paid for, a family to love and to love me back, and a loving God who has blessed me these many years..
That is such an awesome testimony. It's always amazed me that the less we have the more we've got and the more we've got the less we have.
I'm in the process of packing my stuff to move. I have a houseful. But I'm only getting rid of the trash. I refuse to feel guilty about having things that I love.
The last time I said out loud that I wished I didn't have so much stuff, it all burned up in a fire.
I don't wish for more things, nor do I wish for fewer. I'm getting ready to live out of a suitcase, maybe for a few months while I shop for a new home. I'm comfortable with that, but when I unpack my junk again, it will be like seeing old friends.
I think acquiring more and more can be addictive for awhile. One just hopes the person who's so tempted can realistically see behind the surface of what they have.
For example: How much is the mortgage payment and how much is left to pay off one's house? If there's little equity, then it doesn't make sense to sell and go bigger.
The paid off cars are excellent. That's a huge monthly drain for most people. How about credit cards? Are they maxed or carrying revolving balances? If so, that has to be addressed before one can keep acquiring more stuff.
I want a truck too, a cab truck. I currently drive a 9 year old Toyota Tacoma in perfect condition and I may stick with it another five years or so. So I'll put off my "wish", which isn't painful.
I also have a paid-for house and no debt, so income coming in isn't wasted on carrying debt.
The last "big" purchases I made were the washer and dryer when I moved into this house in Jan. 06, and the other was when I stripped and then redecorated my dining room with chairrail, custom drapes and a Waterford chandelier. Then I stopped and that was over a year ago. I've purchased no clothing since I bought winter things when I first moved here and was freezing and I've got everything I need.
Would I like a bigger house? As a Richie Rich fantasy an elegant mansion with a live-in cook and staff to clean? That'd be cool.
But I live in the real world and I realize I'm damn lucky I think for most people once you reach a level of security - meaning owning the basics in your life outright - you tend to drop the acquisition fever.
One thing in this country which is so tiresome is the car issue. Everyone has to drive everywhere- no walking anywhere-
Another American obsession. People where I live still drive monstrous trucks and some kind of Navigator - at least once a day I cant see around the d--- thing- it must cause accidents. I mean everyone went through this when they were teenagers, in their twenties- does anyone ever get over it? In Europe people drive smaller cars, and even if they have money, the car is not an ultimate symbol like it seems to be here. When did all that start?
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Sometimes when you are wanting something that you really do not NEED, it also often stems from boredom. Sometimes we just have to break the monotony in our lives...spice things up a bit. Otherwise we get stuck in the same ole rut and become stale or stagnated. I have done this quite often. I even experience this in my church. Sometimes you just have to do something different. I really do not think this is wrong or a sin, as long as it is within reason and you're not hurting anyone or putting yourself into debt beyond your means. As long as you are giving your 10% and doing the right thing in life, I think you;re entitled to enjoy a bit of what you have (or perhaps want). However, you may find after obtaining this item, you really aren't happy with it afterall...therefore PRAY about it before doing it!
I think for most people once you reach a level of security - meaning owning the basics in your life outright - you tend to drop the acquisition fever.
