Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.

Some say money buys happiness, others say money is the root of all evil. What money attitude do you live by?
I used to think money could solve all my problems, that is before I met Christ. I always thought I’d be happy if I just had more money, more money to buy things I ‘needed’, or thought I needed. In fact it seems the more money we have, the more we spend, yet we don’t seem any happier. Since accepting Christ into my life I have felt a change in my desires and have these desires met through the grace of God and seeing miracles happen in my life that demonstrates that God will always meet our needs.

Just recently my father gave us a gift of money so that we could buy a good camera to take quality shots of our children as they grow up.  It was a lovely thought and I was quite excited about shopping for a new camera, until I got online and discovered the vast range of cameras available, and was overwhelmed with choice. Shopping isn’t my favourite thing to do at the best of times but this was just stressful. After about a week of researching cameras I went into the camera shop with an idea of what I wanted and came out even more confused. I am now pleased to have finally made the purchase and have the experience over with. This experience showed me that money doesn’t buy happiness. I was happy before the money, and when I had the money it consumed me, and afterward it left me feeling drained. I certainly appreciate my God-given treasures now more than ever.

A party gives laughter, wine gives happiness,
and money gives everything! Ecclesiastes 10:19 (NLT)

We mustn’t get caught up in the worldly view that money buys happiness. Just as wine gives temporary pleasure, so too does money. The thrill of the purchase soon wears off and we are left once again wanting more, getting caught up in the vicious cycle, and feeling no happier than when we started. Whilst money is necessary for survival, we must not love money more than we trust God to solve our problems.

We should be content with what God is doing in our lives and centre our desires on him. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 brings us to the realisation that one day our riches will be gone and we must:
be content with what we have;
watch what we do with our money, making sure it doesn’t make us wander from our faith;
love people more than money;
love God’s work more than money; and
share what we have with others. (v18)

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NLT)