This next word can be one of the easiest mistakes to find yourself doing. Mostly because half the time we don’t even realize we’re doing it. That’s right folks, if you guessed materialism, then you’re right!

What is materialism? Simply stated, it’s putting something before God. You hear those words in church and you zone out. You know what that means. It’s simple. Just don’t forget about God and keep living life with him in the back of your mind. But there’s more to it than that. You idolize your phone without even realizing it. Every time you have free time and you know you could have opened your bible but instead, you check your messages is putting your phone before God. Now, I’m not saying go out and burn your phones. I’m pretty sure there’s a label on the battery that says something about not burning it. So don’t do that.  What I’m saying is that there’s a level things have to fall in. There has to be more weight on God than on your phone because God can hold you.

Combating materialism means being content with what you have but eventually won’t have. 1 Timothy 6:7-8 says: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (NIV). You have to understand that you did not bring your phone, your car or your job into the world and you will not leave with it. Bottom line. You have to learn to enjoy these things but remember they don’t survive the filter of heaven. So focus on what does: God’s plan for you. His plan for you to be a loving and faithful follower.

Earthly pleasures are what hold you back, not bring you further. The more weight you put on them, the more they begin to crumble beneath you. So don’t put all your weight on them. “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 5:10. (NIV). It’s all trap from the devil. He convinces you it will hold in the end because he wants to draw you away from God. You have the choice to walk away and believe me, you won’t regret it. I’m not perfect and I still find myself valuing things of this earth a little too much. But in my heart, I know that it’s wrong and that we will never be satisfied with earthly pleasures; only godly ones.

So start small, do something you know God wants you to do instead of what you want to do. It’ll work out greater than you could ever imagine in the end.

About the author:
Everitt writes for his website crEate; a Christian writing portfolio. The section dEvote is full of devotional writing.  Check it out!