“I Want” is the Problem!

I Want

“We can’t control everything,” “Life hardly ever seems perfect” and “life rarely turns out the way we imagined”. The problem really revolves around the words, “I WANT”. So much of our “wants” control so much of our life don’t they?

I walked into the living room last night and the television was on, though no one else was the room, I finally got a chance to set down to read a book and was only paying a small amount of attention to what was happening to the television. Then the scene switched to a husband and wife and a little girls setting beside a river with a campfire roasting marshmallows. The little girl said, “I want to stay here forever”. The mom said, “Now dear, you know we can’t do that.” The dad chimed in, “why not?”

Their discussion then turned to all of the things they would have to give up to achieve that “I want” and all of the things that would change in their lives. The mom then said, “As I think of all of the things we have at home that keep us working long hours to keep the things, I think I could move here and live without them.”

How many of you have echoed those thoughts at one time or another? “If only we could simplify our lives, if only we didn’t have so many bills to pay, if only we didn’t have so many cars to maintain, rooms to heat, television programs we just couldn’t miss, if only¦”

Most of the problems in our lives revolve around “I want” don’t they? These two words affect our relationships, our work, and our lives in general. Let me say though that there is nothing wrong with wanting, but as Mister Spock said so many years ago on the Star Trek TV series, “you may find that having is not as pleasant as wanting”.

I read a book titled, “How to get what you want and want what you get” by Willard Tate. It’s a great book for helping us learn to focus on the things that are really important in life. He says at one point, “wealth and success are no guarantee of happiness or contentment” “Solomon made that clear thousands of years ago”. Solomon tried everything the world had to offer and came to this conclusion. To “serve God and keep his commandments, this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

So, perhaps we need to ask ourselves, “What is our mission, our purpose or our motivation in life, where are we trying to get to?” Perhaps we need to figure out just how “I want” will help us reach that end. Perhaps we need to think more seriously about what effect “I want” is having on all aspects of our life and our relationship with God. (Matthew 6:33)

Do you know what I really want?

• I want to serve God better than I have in the past.
• I want to live my life so that I can bring him joy and glorify his name!

Am I willing to do whatever it takes or change whatever needs to be changed, to give up what needs to be given up? That is the real question isn’t it? (Matthew 16:24)

Salvation:  Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully