Daily Encounter ... The Why of Materialism [Friday, April 13, 2012]
Daily Encounter ... daily inspirational by Richard Innes of ACTS International
To view this email as a Web Page, Click HERE. To ensure future delivery of emails, please add acts@actsweb.org to your safe sender list or address book.
You Can't Fly With a Broken Wing. One reader said, "This is the most helpful book I have ever read.... On SALE for $10.99
How to Mend a Broken Heart. A retired veterinary surgeon, former lecturer at the Royal Veterinarian College of London and at Cambridge, wrote: "I have gone through two divorces and ... have just read your book, How to Mend a Broken Heart. It is the most helpful counseling I have ever read." On SALE for $7.99
I Hate Witnessing, Pastor Ernie Cox of Ontario, Canada, said, "I've just finished reading I Hate Witnessing and have to say that it is the best thing I've ever read on commun-icating the gospel."
Global Electronic Media Outreach: Learn how to be a missionary right from your own home and have a vital part in worldwide gospel outreach by becoming an ACTS People Power for Jesus Partner. Click HERE There is no charge.
Also please send an email to a friend to recommend Daily Encounter. Click HERE and then on the "Send E-Mail" button.
To receive the TEXT edition ofDaily Encounter without pictures rather than this HTML edition with pictures: Click HERE.
See Weekend Encounter ... without charge every weekend: humor, helps, inspiration. For the current edition: Click HERE.
Friday, April 13, 2012
The Why of Materialism
"Then he [Jesus] said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'"1
Here in the West, at least, we have the greatest wealth, comforts, conveniences, and material possessions of any people anywhere in the world … and at the same time we are plagued by stress, anxiety, depression, impaired relationships, and the breakdown of the family. You'd think we'd get it that material possessions, while they may bring fun for a while, don't bring any kind of lasting happiness or fulfillment. For many of us the more we get the more we want.
So why are we so materialistic? One major reason is because we are so repressed; that is, emotionally repressed.
"And what do you mean by that?" I can hear some readers saying.
It's because when we don't have that which is real, we exchange it for the false; that is, we settle for a poor substitute. For example, when fear is repressed it can express itself as anger or in phobias. Instead of feeling my fear, I lash out in anger. Or instead of facing my fear within, I project it onto the spider on the wall or some other irrational object or circumstance. By blaming my fear on an external object I avoid having to face it within.
Also when the emotion of love is repressed, it may express itself in an insatiable thirst for approval or as lust. Both of these may feel like love but they aren't love. And while at first they may bring some "pleasure" for the moment, they leave the person empty and unsatisfied, and hungering for more approval or more sexual exploits. This in turn increases their feeling of emptiness, and their "searching for love in all the wrong ways and places" becomes a never-ending vicious cycle. Wanting more and more … and being satisfied less and less.
What about the emotion of wonder? Wonder is the emotion that when we see a beautiful sunset, walk along a sandy beach, stand on top of a high mountain and view the splendor below, feel the grasp of a baby's tiny hand, etc., etc., we experience an overwhelming sense of awe and hopefully marvel at God's creation. When wonder is repressed, not only do we not feel this great sense of awe, but are characteristically bored with life, and end up unhappily loving things and using people instead of loving people and using things. That's materialism. I'm not saying that we shouldn't have nice possessions. Not at all. But when our life is driven and controlled by a never-ending desire for more money to buy more things to get more possessions, that's materialism at its core, and is a sure-fire symptom of an empty, repressed life and an equally empty society.
If we are going to overcome the problem of materialism, it is imperative that we get in touch with all of our God-given emotions and use them as God intended. This, by the way, is a vital part of being made whole and being in touch with one's "whole" or entire self. Keep in mind, too, that when we repress our emotions our stomach keeps score and can, and often does, lead to stress, sickness, depression, impaired relationships and spiritual dryness.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, knowing that you desire 'truth in the innermost being' please help me to get in touch with all of my God-given emotions, and never bury, deny or repress them, but use them as you designed. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
Note re Comments: Please keep your comment from 10 to 12 lines max. Comment only on this day's Daily Encounter. Click only one time on the "Add Your Comment" button to send your message. Keep in mind that many responses are coming from people whose first language is not English. We reserve the right to delete unsuitable comments and unsuitably long comments.
about today's Daily Encounter
How to Know God and be sure you're a real Christian without having to be religious: Click HERE.
Archives: For Daily and Weekend Encounter archives: Click HERE.
NOTE: You are receiving this recurring mailing because you subscribed on one of our web sites, or requested by email or letter to be subscribed, responded to an advertisement on ArcaMax.com to be subscribed, or confirmed your subscription after recording your response on one of our web sites.
Prayer Partners Needed: One of ACTS International's greatest needs is Prayer Partners to stand with us as we seek to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with millions of people around the world through E-mail and the Internet, and to bring people to Jesus. If you would like to join with us as an ACTS Prayer Partner, please Click HERE, and then click on the Subscribe to Prayer Encounter. Unless a special or urgent need arises, we send out only one prayer update report each month.
Prayer Requests: To submit a prayer request to David Clark Click HERE. (David is not on the ACTS staff but is offering this as a service to Daily Encounter readers.) If you are a prayer warrior and would like to pray with David for requests sent in, Click HERE to sign up.
Available: CDs by Dick Innes: "Loving and Understand-ing People," "Healing Whole-ness and Happi-ness," "I Hate Witnessing," and "God's Formula for Success." Designed to inform and inspire and sprinkled with humor.
Privacy Policy: We have a strict privacy policy in that your email address and any details you provide will never be shared with any other individual or organization.
No comments:
Post a Comment