Keeping God the Source of Our Joy

Our spending habits tell a story. We would like to think that everything we purchase with our finances is necessary, but in a comparison of the nations of the world, that would be far from the truth. In part two of our series “Beyond,” we discovered how generosity can combat the struggle of consumerism and materialism. From a Christian standpoint, consumerism is relying on yourself to get what you need and never letting God provide for you; materialism is being dissatisfied with what you have. Both viewpoints divert us from seeing God as the source of our joy.
Keeping God as the source of our joy is a consistent challenge for all believers. The answer is found in the life of Christ. Paul acknowledges the wealth that God gave up by descending to earth and willingly becoming poor (2 Cor. 8:9). This willingness is rooted in servitude. In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul describes the mindset of Christ. We need to be vigilant to remember that Jesus emptied himself by coming and serving humanity through obedience to God’s word. This resulted in God blessing Jesus with the highest glory. We can share in His glory in this life and the next. We need to take steps that lead us to serve God and others. True joy inspires generosity, encouraging giving to let others experience joy or share what brings you joy.