As mere human beings, we easily fall into the trap of our desires and wants. As a result, we tend to become greedy and obsessed with different kinds of material things. People are easily obsessed with love, money and other material things that they loose track of what is truly important to them. Moreover, being too greedy and obsessive can also lead to other problems such as anxiety, depression and also addiction.
There are a lot of warnings found in the Bible against greed and obsession. Luke 12:15 (NIV) wrote and warned us to “watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” There are also other passages in the Bible that warns us against greed which include the books of Matthew and Corinthians.
In Matthew 6:19, the passage reads “do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” This means that if you should be greedy, collect those things that can bring you to eternal paradise. Greed and desire for riches traps people and brings them to their destruction. With these, how does one overcome greed?
While greed is important at some point, too much of it can be dangerous. For this reason, it is important to check yourself if you are becoming too full of it or not. If you think that you are becoming obsessed of a particular thing, stop yourself. You have to realize that there are far more important things that desiring something. If you are obsessed with money, you have to realize the family is more important.
On the other hand, appreciating what you have is also another way to overcome your greed and obsession. People are naturally greedy and too much greed clouds the perception of a person. As a result, an individual who strongly desires for something ends up not being able to enjoy the small blessings around him or her. For this, another way to overcome greed is to appreciate even the smallest things that you have. Live your life simply. In Hebrews 13:5, God sends a message to everyone that He will never forsake us despite our addictions. He said “keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
Being obsessed is an outright sin because it prevents you from worshiping God. This is the reason why those who are greedy find it hard to enter the Kingdom of God. Although this does not indicate that you should shun material possessions entirely, the Bible teaches us to control our desires that lead to greed and obsessions.
By living a life with God, you will be able to live abundantly despite of the material possessions that you lack. With God, everything is enough as He will provide everything that you will need in order to survive.