It's an everyday struggle to fight worldliness. There is also constant pressure from society to always have things that are trending. But if you sit back and really think about it, do you really need an iPhone X if you have a reliable and working smartphone already? Probably not. But since society tells you that this is a must-have item, you may feel pressured to have it also. God has warned us several times about being materialistic and finding fulfilment in material possessions. For those who are guilty of materialism, it's time to change your ways. Let these scriptures guide you back to the Lord.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
There are two important takeaways from this verse alone. For one, God doesn't want you to love money. And second, love of money leads to lack of contentment. If your focus is on money, then your goal is to make more money to keep buying things. Loving money is already materialistic in nature since money is just a piece of paper anyway. The Lord has spoken, do not love money because God will not leave you when you face financial trouble.
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Your earthly wealth and possessions do not matter to the Lord, nor will it matter when Jesus comes back to bring us to heaven. The Bible repeats the message that we should not focus on earthly treasures, but instead, save treasures in heaven. Because at the end of it all, what's in our hearts is what truly matters.
1 Timothy 6:9-10
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
The love of money will get you nowhere and worse, it will destroy your life. If you love money, you will have an insatiable desire to keep getting money and spending it. It gets worse if you start not caring about how you get that money and not caring how you'll spend it, too. Clearly, worshiping money is evil and if you've noticed that you've become too materialistic nowadays, it's time to reflect and make some changes right away. One of the changes you can make is to focus on being more generous and giving, rather than focusing on what you can get. Pray to the Lord to help you with this.
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
One of my favorite verses of all time, especially when I'm always working hard to earn money and sacrificing other aspects of my life. We cannot serve two masters. It's either you serve God or you serve money. God and money cannot be at the center of your life. You have to make a decision. And if you're smart, the decision is a clear no-brainer. Another point here is that if there is a choice you need to make that goes against God, obviously, it's an evil one.
1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Our last verse today reminds us not to love the things in this world, which means do not cling to your earthly possessions. You may hear some people say that they'd die without their phones or their laptops. Technology has helped us in so many ways, but it has also made us rely on it so much. Do not desire what your eyes can see, but focus on what you can't see because that's what will last forever.
Don't ever say God didn't warn you about the dangers of being materialistic. The reminder is everywhere in the Bible. So if you choose worldliness, then this is a conscious decision. Nonetheless, don't beat yourself up. God will not condemn you. He is just waiting for you to confess your sins and He will help renew your heart. Start changing your ways before it's too late.
