Staying motivated to live God's will

[Anglewannabe]

Ok, I just cam back from shopping. Something I never really enjoyed.

I get so caught up in dilemnas (sp?) such as

• will I use this? I have a small apartment and there is not much room to store stuff so I don’t like to junk my place up with things I don’t use
• can I afford this? If I know the item will last a while, I don’t mind shelling out the extra buck. But I can’t keep buying things that don’t last
• Is this machine washable.
• Will this be comfortable to wear. I have always hated being warm and often some materials are too warm or itchy
• is this a good price or can I get it cheaper else where?
• Why can’t I look like the super model in her clothes

and then I realize I am totally caught up in secular thinking and I find it depressing. Sadly, I had to go shopping because I REALLY needed some things so the option to never go shopping does not exist.

Also, I am earning a lot less money than I use to. I can live but in the past if I made a spending mistake it was not the end of the world. Now that option is not really available so I get depressed over my employment situation.

It hit me in the store, so many shoes, but none that were comfortable. How sad to supposedly live in the world of plenty when really it was not true.

I came home and I realized I did not incorporate God into my shopping experience. I never thought to consult Him, or ask him to guide me to wise decisions. I realize I was just not trying to follow His way. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, I was not thinking of His will at all. I was only thinking about getting what I need

How do others remained motivated to follow God’s will, or at least behave like a Christian when they are doing things that pull them away from Him?

Angie

 

[ClearWater]

Ok, I just cam back from shopping. Something I never really enjoyed.

I get so caught up in dilemnas (sp?) such as

• will I use this? I have a small apartment and there is not much room to store stuff so I don’t like to junk my place up with things I don’t use
• can I afford this? If I know the item will last a while, I don’t mind shelling out the extra buck. But I can’t keep buying things that don’t last
• Is this machine washable.
• Will this be comfortable to wear. I have always hated being warm and often some materials are too warm or itchy
• is this a good price or can I get it cheaper else where?
• Why can’t I look like the super model in her clothes

and then I realize I am totally caught up in secular thinking and I find it depressing. Sadly, I had to go shopping because I REALLY needed some things so the option to never go shopping does not exist.

Also, I am earning a lot less money than I use to. I can live but in the past if I made a spending mistake it was not the end of the world. Now that option is not really available so I get depressed over my employment situation.

It hit me in the store, so many shoes, but none that were comfortable. How sad to supposedly live in the world of plenty when really it was not true.

I came home and I realized I did not incorporate God into my shopping experience. I never thought to consult Him, or ask him to guide me to wise decisions. I realize I was just not trying to follow His way. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, I was not thinking of His will at all. I was only thinking about getting what I need

How do others remained motivated to follow God’s will, or at least behave like a Christian when they are doing things that pull them away from Him?

Angie

It’s harder living within a tight budget.

On the movie, “Shopaholic”, she mainly was supposed to ask herself, “Do I need this?” Although, she had an addiction to shopping.

I wouldn’t fret over the small stuff. We have to deal with the day-to-day living questions.

I think you asked yourself a lot of practical questions. I see nothing wrong with asking those kinds of questions. We need to!

Much, if not most, of life is spent with “secular” questions, “What time is it?”, “What am I going to fix for dinner?”, “How much money did I bring?”, “What am I going to do after this?”

I wouldn’t beat yourself up over that. We can’t live all the time in a spiritual world. Much of our world is…the bank, shopping, paying taxes, budgeting. That’s just how it is. I’d say to try not to get “down” or depressed over it, to accept it as it is…part of living in a material world. If materialism is somehow excessive, then worry. If not, one probably has enough worries and doesn’t need any more.

 

[ClearWater]

Actually…don’t worry even if the materialism were excessive…simply do something about it…without stressing, worrying.

Getting depressed, upset, worrying is unhelpful. As Christ said, we won’t change one hair color by worrying, so we need to stop worrying. If something is wrong, then fix it. Let it go. Don´t worry, either way, because worry and stressing, etc., is a waste of our energy, damages our mental health.

Peace.

 

[John_Martin]

When I go shopping I take a moment to tell the Lord I am going shopping (“Lord, I am going shopping now, for you, and am going to do it in a way you will be delighted with.”). Then, while shopping, the question is, whether the Lord will like what I am buying for him and his work in the world. “Will these shoes be useful to You in the work you are asking of me with my life?”

Actually, a brief explanation to Him before everything I do is how I work at doing His Will. “Lord, I am going to drive to work now, for you.” (this actually ends up with me driving more “conservatively” because I am not out to benefit my own desires of stealing time by speeding or rash lane changes on the interstate to try and get ahead of everyone. Instead I am following the car ahead of me “as if it were Jesus and I am following him as the disciples followed him”).

Those are my 2 cents.

 

[Anglewannabe]

I wouldn’t beat yourself up over that. We can’t live all the time in a spiritual world. Much of our world is…the bank, shopping, paying taxes, budgeting. That’s just how it is. I’d say to try not to get “down” or depressed over it, to accept it as it is…part of living in a material world. If materialism is somehow excessive, then worry. If not, one probably has enough worries and doesn’t need any more.

I think you hit the mail on the head. The whole point is I need to learn how not to beat myself up and looking for practical solutions

 

[Xantippe]

I think you hit the mail on the head. The whole point is I need to learn how not to beat myself up and looking for practical solutions

Maybe make sure to leave the house with a plan for what you need and how much you are going to spend and try to stick to that? (There will be good finds from time to time, but there’s not going to be one every shopping trip.)