Don't Be Presumptuous
Don't rely on money to make you independent. Don't think you have to have everything you want, and then spend your energy trying to get it. Don't think that no one can exercise authority over you; if you do, the Lord is certain to punish you. Don't think that you can sin and get away with it; the Lord does not mind waiting to punish you. Don't be so certain of the Lord's forgiveness that you go on committing one sin after another. Don't think that his mercy is so great that he will forgive your sins no matter how many they are. He does show mercy, but he also shows his furious anger with sinners. Come back to the Lord quickly. Don't think that you can keep putting it off. His anger can come upon you suddenly, and you will die under his punishment. Don't rely on dishonest wealth; it will do you no good on that day of disaster.
To quote Tal Ben-Shahar "Happiness, not gold or prestige, is the ultimate currency.”
Only a few on this earth think that they don’t want to be rich but want to be happy. My mantra is if you have clothes to wear, food to eat and a roof over your head, increased disposable income has just a small influence on our sense of well-being. Money is needed, as it can certainly help you achieve your goals, provide for your future, and make life more enjoyable, but merely having the stuff doesn’t guarantee fulfillment.
The big question is, “Can money buy happiness?” There’s no simple answer.
We lost several of our family members and friends, quite a number of them really wealthy. They all had to leave behind all their possessions, which will be the case for all of us one day. I know of someone who was too wealthy, but too sick with kidney failure, on dialysis thrice a week. Four sons settled in different parts of the world, none could be besides him, except his wife when he breathed his last in the Covid ward. Likewise another gentleman having his own business slogged tirelessly, mostly to give higher education abroad, lost his life to Covid all alone. His two sons couldn't travel to be besides him in his final moments. During hospitalization he was found to be sick with various ailments. Both these men willingly sacrificed their free time to make more money. They are not alone, such people don't believe that prioritizing money over time may actually undermine their happiness.
Yes, money can buy some happiness, but money and material possessions does not lead to happiness. There’s a real danger that increased income can actually make you miserable, if your desire to spend grows with it. But that’s not to say you have to live like a monk. The key is finding a balance between having too little and having too much—and that’s no easy task.
The Almighty gently reminds us daily to take it easy, He is in charge, He takes care but even if we hear him we ignore Him. I am reminded of this beautiful poem "Do Not Quit" by Edgar Albert Guest, which I love💕
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
you may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
it seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
when he might have captured the victor's cup;
and he learned too late
when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out -
the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and when you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar;
so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
it's when things seem worst, you must not quit.
Hope animates the wise, and lures the presumptuous and indolent who repose inconsiderately on her promises.
- Luc De Clapiers
Good night friends 😇
