As a little girl I heard a lesson about wanting something new—a dress for this example—so much so, that you were willing to do anything to get it. And once you got that dress, you knew everything would be perfect! Of course, the lesson ended in the realization that after you got that new dress, you just needed the matching shoes.
So, then I have to ask myself, why do I fall to the same trap again and again?
We have all at some point in our lives fallen to the scheme of something new. And while new things are not bad at all, they never really seem to be that satisfying…
For me personally, I have learned that gratitude is always most important. When I am grateful for the clothes I have, I don’t see the need to get more. And when I purge through my clothes and find that I am grateful for the extra space in my dresser, I don’t see the need to get more either.
In other words, gratitude can be evident in different ways and still have the result we are looking for.
The same principle applies to our life as a Christian. When I am grateful for the family and friends that God has given me, I don’t see the need to complain. When I am grateful for the trials that come my way, I can see how I am growing to be more like Christ.
So, as often as I can remember, and as long as God still has me here on earth, I will be working towards gratitude.
Before I turn this into an object lesson of my own (which if I get going on the right subject, can tend to happen pretty easily for me…) I want to say that wanting something new does not always mean you are ungrateful. I believe that there are multiple ways to satisfy the desire of wanting something new. For me, my wanting something new was used to motivate me to start this blog.
The desire for “new” does not always have to be a tangible purchase. “New” can be all things from trying a new recipe, painting something new, learning a new sport, or playing a new game with friends. I would argue that none of those examples are bad things.
Gratitude and “new” can come in the same sentence! Look for “new” in the everyday and pursue gratitude in every area of your life.
clutter to can 