We're living in a world where we are bombarded with consumerism incessantly and it is hard to keep our desires for material possessions in check. Styles for cars, tech, furniture, appliances, clothing and even food are constantly changed so that we will purchase new goods even if our old goods are still perfectly useful. It is especially easy to play the game of "keeping up with the Jones", if you will, when our neighbor or friend always has the coolest car, tv, house, whatever; and makes sure to inform you how your possession is inferior.
We are all human; part of our condition is that we are jealous and prideful creations. However, we need to wrestle with these emotions instead of allowing them to rule us. Fostering unhealthy, emotional attachments to material goods causes us to idolize those things; thereby drawing our attention away from the important relationships with the people in our lives.
The big question is: How do we keep our emotional draw towards possessions in check?
A journey always begins with one step.
Step one is to start thinking about your possessions and why you have them. Is it an item that you just bought because you thought it was entertaining? Does the item have a useful purpose in your life? Does the item have any significance to you, such as a piece of jewelry you wore for your wedding or something?
Once you evaluate and understand why it is that you have certain possessions you can evaluate whether or not it is good to hold on to them. If it has purpose or meaning in your life, keep it. Otherwise, if it has no purpose and no meaning, it should go.
As you pinpoint the idols in your life and the useless baggage of material goods that you hold onto without purpose, you can start ridding yourself of those possessions.
Eventually you may find that even as you walk into your favorite retail store, those new goods being sold will suddenly seem less enticing. Instead of shopping with a lustful eye you might find that you will shop with purpose; buying what you need, not what you want.
Going through the "stuff" that clutter your life, isn't about being a minimalist necessarily (although maybe you find that is a lifestyle that is good for you) it's about being healthy emotionally and detaching yourself from the things of this world, which fire, rust and moth can destroy, and instead focusing on people and eternity.
Fill your life with the love of others, not the love of material goods.
Best of luck dear reader!
