Financial FitnessSample

God’s Gifts for Now

The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:17 that God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (NIV). That’s the kind of God we serve. He gave us the world for our enjoyment! But here’s the problem: We’re so busy getting more that we don’t enjoy what we’ve got.

The secret of contentment is to learn to enjoy what God has given you. Ecclesiastes 5:19 says, “If God gives us wealth and property and lets us enjoy them, we should be grateful and enjoy what we have worked for. It is a gift from God” (GNT). You need to pay more attention to what you do have. You need to open your eyes. You need to appreciate what God has already given you. You need to enjoy what you’ve got.

One of my favorite things to do is watch the sunrise from the slope in our yard. I put this ratty old deck chair out there 10 or 15 years ago. I think I bought it at Target, so it’s not expensive. It’s faded, and a couple of slats are broken on it. I love to sit in that ratty, old chair and watch the sun come up. It gives me great pleasure! 

Would I have any more joy watching the sunrise if I were sitting in a diamond-encrusted Barcalounger instead of a ratty chair from Target? No. It would not increase my joy one bit. In fact there is an advantage to not having a diamond-encrusted Barcalounger. It’s better to have a ratty chair on the slope. Why? Because nobody steals it! 

You need to ask yourself, “What am I not enjoying right now?” Most of us get into what I call “when and then” thinking — “When this happens, then I’ll be happy.”

“When I get a boyfriend, then I’ll be happy. When I get married, then I’ll be happy. When I have kids, then I’ll be happy. When my kids go off to school, then I’ll be happy. When I get married again, then I’ll be happy.”

You are as happy as you choose to be. Happiness is a choice! If you’re not happy now, you’re not going to be happy later. I could take you to some of the worst places in the world and show you two people living right next door to each other. One is miserable, and one is happy. Why? Happiness has nothing to do with your circumstances. It has everything to do with your attitude. If you’re not happy living on what you’re living on right now, I can guarantee you that you’re not going to be happy with any more. Because you’re always going to want a little bit more.

Happiness is a choice. Choose to enjoy what God has given you right now for your enjoyment! 

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