Monday, June 3, 2013
Today's thought from Hazelden is:
Contentment makes poor men rich.
Discontent makes rich men poor.
-- Benjamin Franklin
The other day I was feeling off center, and so I took a walk around the block to lift my spirits. As I passed one of the neighbor's homes, I spotted a luxury car and began to imagine my pleasure at owning and driving such a vehicle. Suddenly, a still small voice whispered from within, "You can't fill a spiritual void with a physical object. Because you are a spiritual being living in a material world, your deeper needs for love and connectedness can never be satisfied in purely material terms."
And yet we climb the ladder of material success only to discover that it is leaning against the wrong wall. It is clear that human beings need a certain amount of food, clothing, shelter, and comfort to meet their physical needs. But anything beyond that is not truly essential for inner contentment. As the philosopher Marcus Aurelius said, "Very little is needed to make a happy life."
In Scripture we read, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Ask yourself, "What are my spiritual and emotional needs, and what steps am I taking to address them?" As you begin to feed and nourish yourself with spiritual food, your soul's hunger will be filled. There is no deeper satisfaction than this.
Contentment makes poor men rich.
Discontent makes rich men poor.
-- Benjamin Franklin
The other day I was feeling off center, and so I took a walk around the block to lift my spirits. As I passed one of the neighbor's homes, I spotted a luxury car and began to imagine my pleasure at owning and driving such a vehicle. Suddenly, a still small voice whispered from within, "You can't fill a spiritual void with a physical object. Because you are a spiritual being living in a material world, your deeper needs for love and connectedness can never be satisfied in purely material terms."
And yet we climb the ladder of material success only to discover that it is leaning against the wrong wall. It is clear that human beings need a certain amount of food, clothing, shelter, and comfort to meet their physical needs. But anything beyond that is not truly essential for inner contentment. As the philosopher Marcus Aurelius said, "Very little is needed to make a happy life."
In Scripture we read, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Ask yourself, "What are my spiritual and emotional needs, and what steps am I taking to address them?" As you begin to feed and nourish yourself with spiritual food, your soul's hunger will be filled. There is no deeper satisfaction than this.
From the book:
Listening to Your Inner Voice © 1991, by Douglas Bloch
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