Coming back to a 'third world' country obviously has its challenges. Before coming, God was sensitizing me to how I often 'buy, make, collect' things and how they make me 'feel' better.
Today I read these words from T.W. Tozer:
,"There is within the human heart a tough, fibrous root of fallen life whose nature is to possess, always to possess.... The ancient curse will not go out painlessly; the tough old miser within us .... must be torn out of our heart like a plant from the soil; he must be extracted in agony and blood like a tooth from the jaw. He must be expelled from our soul by violence, as Christ expelled the money changers from the temple. And we shall need to steel ourselves against his piteous begging, and to recognize it as springing out of self pity, one of the most reprehensible sins of the human heart!.
Pow! How's that for between the eyes!
Becoming aware of my need to 'possess' materials is one thing (and certainly a first world problem) but what of my need to 'possess' adequacies, reputation and respect?
Our God is so wise. He knows its not the 'possessions' we need but the process of His transformation. I think of the verse; Be still and know that I am God and how He has set up from the beginning of time, 'the way' to live so that these fibrous roots that entangle us are regularly kept in check. For example, He knows that we need one day a week to stop our striving, creating and collecting, and 'know' that He is God (the provider).
More and more as I submit to His ways, I discover He is indeed transforming my life. How good is our God!
