It is all too easy to believe the subtle lies of the flesh. Chasing its empty promises is like chasing a desert mirage. Usually the empty promise is wrapped in the cloak of “If I had more, then I would be happy.” The “More Monster” has claimed many victims. More money, more prestige, more of most anything.

We spend time thinking about what we would do with a million dollars (or if we have a million, ten million). How would we steward our fame or political position (or if we have a political position, a more powerful one)? We imagine what we don’t have and what we might do if we had it. 

Our imaginations get the better of us. We drift into thinking about what we could do with what we don’t have, and forego thinking about what to do with what we do have.

All the while, we are living life on the plains. We miss the amazing opportunities to enjoy what we do have because we are imagining the kind of character we might have if we struck it big, if we had more.

More is never the complete answer. More will never usher in the life we deeply desire. 

We can adjust our perspective to consider with gratitude what we do have. We can focus on exercising the best stewardship of what we currently possess. And we can enjoy all the goodness God has given us, for God has richly given us all things to enjoy.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
– 2 Peter 1:3