Shopaholic Diva: The Search for Satisfaction

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For awhile this message has been on my heart, but I haven't been able to put it into words...I wasn't sure if I was meant to, but this morning a dear friend, & a true Proverbs 31 Woman sent a word of encouragement that provided me with confirmation. Sweet Miriam sent me this verse,

"Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6)

Not coincidentally the verse of the day on Biblegateway.com was this,

"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:36)

One look at the Western culture & it's easy to see that morality is low & self-seeking materialism is high on the totem pole of priorities. We are a nation that is never content, never satisfied with what we have. There is always something more to obtain...and surely once that object has been had then fulfillment will come. People will go to the ends of the earth to seek "happiness." This ridiculous "need" for more has led to devastating results. Not long ago in a pitiful display of greed, several people were trampled to death as crazed shoppers mobbed a store in order to purchase a limited edition pair of athletic tennis shoes...no joke.

I want to address several specific areas that I believe all women, even godly ones are tempted in:

Physically: Women "need" to feel & be viewed as beautiful. We view beauty in the world's terms: thin body, big bust, little nose, & so on. Sisters, Barbie is a plastic doll for a reason, her appearance is unobtainable...literally. I once read an article about the health problem a woman would have if she did in fact possess Barbie's physique...not pleasant I assure you! Eating disorders & plastic surgery are common place because we women feel such pressure & need to fit into the stereotype of a beautiful woman. Our Father makes clear that true beauty comes from within. I have met many outwardly gorgeous women whose insides made their appearance unappealing, & on the same accord women who physical characteristics are not up to the world's standard yet their disposition makes them radiate beauty.

1 Peter 3:4 "What matters is not your outward appearance, the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, or the cut of your clothes-but your inner disposition."

Financially: Perhaps the most broad area of discontentment stems from the things that money buys. A bigger home, a nicer car, fancy clothes, travel, jewelry...the list goes on & on...would most certainly make us happy.  Down in the dumps? Go Shopping! A new outfit is just what you need! That bulky lap top too heavy to carry? Get an iPad, it fits in your purse! Sick of Indiana weather? Fly to Hawaii! It's Valentine's Day, better be getting diamonds! Now I am being sarcastic & extreme, but the truth is that we often believe that something we could buy would make life easier or more pleasant. Many, many, many families are financially strapped because they have maxed out credit cards & confused their "wants" with their "needs." Financial strain is widely known to be a major cause of marital & familial dissent & breakdown...big problem! Not to mention we raise our children with a false sense of entitlement...simply by existing they deserve brand name clothes, smart phones, & a car at 16. There's the wise old saying, "You can't buy happiness."...It's true. There's also the biblical saying, "Money is the root of all evil." (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

Matthew 6:24 "You can't worship God & Money both."

Emotionally: Marriages are ruined daily because women "need" more romance or because men "need" a better love life & as a result enter into affairs. Fairy tales, novels, & movies have so outrageously exaggerated & glamorized romance that women have unrealistic expectations of relationships & marriage. The man who fails to meet those wild fantasies of romance just must not be "the one" for her & therefore the search continues whether within the escape of romance novels or in the adultery of an affair. We are so needy of approval & affirmation that we sell out our values to "fit in" or be accepted, & feel utterly distraught if we fail to do so. How often is the root cause of a suicide or a school shooting because a person felt the sting or rejection? 
Matthew 6:21 "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."

With all of my heart I believe that this Plague of Discontentment is Satan's greatest weapon against the Kingdom. Satan doesn't have to convince us to be atheists to keep us away from God, he merely has to distract us. He plants a seed of discontentment in areas of our lives & suddenly our focus shifts from the Father to the fault. Countless verses make clear that true happiness, complete fulfillment, & utter satisfaction can only be found in communion with the Father.  I desire this for myself & for you...

Philippians 4:10 "I am glad in God,far happier than you would ever guess...I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned to be quite content in my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."