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The Pursuit of Happiness—Finding Safety, Security, and Satisfaction Not in Worldly Things but in God

  

THE LIE: “Money will solve all of my problems.”

THE TRUTH: Money masquerades as a savior, offering counterfeit hope to hungry souls. Only Jesus offers me the true identity, security, and happiness I yearn for.

The root of this lie is the fear of living our life without the things that would make us happy and give us stability. We believe money can buy the life we’ve always wanted. But is there also a deeper fear at work here?

I believe there is. It’s the fear that God can’t be fully trusted to take care of us. When we subconsciously fear that God won’t provide for our financial needs, we act as if we can take care of things without God’s help.

But the lie that enough money will fix your problems infiltrates your mind when you see other people who have money and you assume they are happier than you. Next, the lie insinuates that if you worked harder, if you were more industrious, and limited your generosity, you would have more and be happier. Then the lie intimidates you through imagining frightening scenarios of what your life would be like without the safety and security of money. Finally the lie re-creates your world; prioritizing money and its false security above people. 

The truth is money never gives you what God alone provides. As Paul reminds the Philippians (and us), “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:19). Financial choices and responsibility as well as material possessions are to have a proper place in our lives—but distorting money’s role into one of security, identity, or happiness is where we get into all kinds of trouble. 

We need God. We need His provision, His grace, His love, and His forgiveness. We need His promise that He will sustain us and never leave us and His promise that Jesus is preparing a place for us in eternity. We need each other. We need the Scriptures to guide, convict, and encourage us. Money can’t provide these things, so it serves as a counterfeit hope to hungry souls. 

Because Jesus knew all of the things we would need in this life, He encouraged His followers to, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you,” (Matt. 6:33). We can believe that promise. Or, as they say, we can take that to the bank.

What is your attitude toward money? Does money offer you a sense of power or security? Have you allowed money to occupy the place in your life intended for God?