Enjoying Your Possessions Without Being Possessed: A Christian Perspective

Enjoy Your Possessions Before They Possess You

Do you own your possessions, or do your possessions own you? It's easy to accumulate things in life - clothes, gadgets, furniture, cars, homes - until they start to take over our lives. But as Christians, we are called to view our possessions differently. We are called to enjoy them, but also to use them for God's glory and to bless others. Let's explore what the Bible has to say about our possessions and how we can enjoy them without being possessed by them.

God Owns Everything

The first thing to remember is that God owns everything. Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." This means that everything we possess ultimately belongs to God. We are just stewards of what he has given us. This mindset helps us to view our possessions as gifts from God, rather than things we are entitled to.

When we understand that God owns everything, we can also trust him to provide for our needs. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:31-33, "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

God promises to provide for our needs, but he also expects us to use our possessions wisely and for his glory.

Use Your Possessions for God's Glory

As Christians, we are called to use our possessions to serve God and others. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." This includes our possessions.

For example, we can use our cars to give rides to those who don't have transportation. We can use our homes to host Bible studies or hospitality events. We can use our money to support missions or help those in need. When we use our possessions for God's glory, we are living out our faith and showing others the love of Christ.

Don't Let Possessions Control You

While it's okay to enjoy our possessions, we need to be careful not to let them control us. Jesus warns us in Luke 12:15, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."

When we become obsessed with our possessions, we can become greedy and selfish. We may start to believe that our possessions define us or give us worth. This kind of thinking is dangerous and can lead us away from God.

Instead, we need to keep our focus on God and use our possessions to serve him. Colossians 3:23-24 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

When we use our possessions to serve God, we are living out our faith and storing up treasures in heaven.

Practice Contentment

One way to avoid becoming possessed by our possessions is to practice contentment. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11-13, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Contentment is not about having everything we want, but about being satisfied with what we have. When we practice contentment, we are trusting God to provide for our needs and are grateful for what we have. This mindset helps us to avoid the trap of always wanting more and being consumed by our possessions.

Conclusion

Our possessions can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how we view and use them. When we understand that God owns everything and calls us to use our possessions for his glory, we can enjoy them without being possessed by them. We can also avoid becoming greedy and selfish by practicing contentment and keeping our focus on God.

So, let's enjoy our possessions while also using them to serve God and others. Let's be faithful stewards of what he has given us and trust him to provide for our needs. And let's remember that our true worth and identity are found in Christ, not in our possessions.