What kind of fad did you grow up with? I remember being obsessed with marbles. I would trade marbles with my friends and get into shooting contests all the time. I remember negotiating extra chores with my parents so I could get more marbles. With my daughter’s generation it was Beanie Babies. At the beginning of this century and even now, it was and is Pokémon cards.
Like all fads, whatever happiness collecting and shooting marbles gave me eventually faded. I lost interest and moved on to the next thing. It’s a pretty common story. Looking back, it seems bizarre that so many of us would give our time and money to things which would eventually break or be forgotten. Yet, Scripture makes it abundantly clear that humans have always had a serious happiness problem, (Ecclesiastes 1) and a recent article from Relevant Magazine is asking readers if they’re searching for joy in all the right places.
Writer, Austin Bonds reflects on how even now, Christians attach too much of their happiness to material possessions. While it’s no sin to take pleasure in a new car or nice pair of shoes, we must always remember these feelings are temporary. Happiness never lasts for long, but joy can endure even in the darkest times. He writes,
“In a parable about a rich fool, Jesus said, ‘Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’ (Luke 12:15) Possessions make us happy, but their pleasure is brief. I like Honda Civics and Netflix and running shoes and peanut M&M’s and college football. These simple treats provide a measure of happiness; they are material blessings from a bountiful God who loves me deeply.”
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