WANTS versus NEEDS

D'ya ever notice how God always gives you what you need and more often than not does not give you what you want?

I'm so frustrated right now. And I know I'm being childish and selfish, but it seems like I can never have what I WANT. It's the story of my life.

But, as Job learned, who am I to complain, right? I mean, I have all that I need. In fact, I have everything that I need. But why can't I have just a few things that I want?

It is frustrating and downright infuriating.

Okay, I'm done ranting and whining (for now)...

Nope. I have not noticed that. God always gives me what I want.

It's just not things you can see.

That is also the story of my life. Most often when I get a blessing that I don't need I get it when I least expect it.

I work with people who all have plenty more money than I do; honestly I am the poorest person where I work because my income is the only one in the household. Everybody else is married, or living together (which I wouldn't do for any amount of money) or they live at home. I can get depressed hearing all about what they got to do over the weekend, where they went out to eat, see their new cars and clothes, etc. I have to constantly concentrate on what God has done for me, what He has brought my children and I through. We have not lacked for anything. He is the only Way.

Well, I definitely don't feel that is the story of my life; but in Bible study we were just talking about how even though SO many people are blessed with EXTRAS, we are only promised the essentials. And, in my experience if we're given everything we want, we'll usually want something else...

I will resist the urge to preach because I am not very good at it. The way I see it, we should want what God needs, and need what God wants. He will take care of the rest.

I have friends and family who just lost everything in the flood.....maybe this will help with your rant about your wants.

They still have each other and you. I would count that as a blessing.

Personally all I want is my family and friends happy and healthy around me, but all I truly need is God. Yet God still gives me what I want most days.

We are all praising God they are safe and have each other no doubt. I was just pointing out to the OP that while we rant about our situation, there are others who are worse off.

I have really been trying to just cut out wants, because everything I want is merely self pleasing junk that I have no need for, but merely want for the sake of..... well, pleasing myself.

I know people will say "whats wrong with that", ect ect : p But still, I am definitely the kind of person who struggles with living for myself. I count my money and think of all the ways I can spend it on myself. I used to deal with alot of envy for those who had what I wanted. I always thought of me, me, me.

I really want to get away from that way of living, and Im doing better than I ever have. Still not perfect, but I am coming more and more and more to totally feeling at peace with just having the things I need, feeling thankful for having food and clean water and a warm home and a nice bed and clothes to wear and people to talk to, and Im feeling less sad for not having material things or things of the flesh that once brought me down. I even am starting to feel that if I were to go bald, Id be able to walk away from it fine with gratitude that I still am wealthy in all the things I need and peace of mind from God : p

I do believe that the entire world would be a better place if they lived this way. Btw Im not putting myself above everyone else, as I do still struggle with this : p But I am becoming better, and I do believe that if we let this change happen, we could 100% live life this way.

I think God tells us to stop coveting what others have and start giving thanks for what we do have.

I tell my kids that when they complain...if words don't work, sometimes the action of taking away all the extras does show them what they have been blessed with. All we need is food, shelter and love. We don't need beds, the food doesn't have to be seasoned and favorable, but the love....we never skimp on that.

When we realize what we can truly live without or what many people have to do without, we are humbled to see all the many blessings God has already blessed us with. We can see how many of our wants He already gave us.

We all need to remember this!!

When I start to fall into sad feelings over not having what I want, I specifically and intentionally think about those who do not even have what they need. I consider how God would feel about me being sad over not having things I dont even need, and consider whether or not this is really the way I should live my life.

I think thats the right thing to do. We can really change our hearts if we let ourselves look at life this way.