More vs. Enough.

Just a week ago, I found myself standing in front of my closet, ashamed. Hangers full of clothing, some I've barely worn, pieces that are out of style, too big, too small, and I still cannot let go of it all. There's an overflow that stands still on the sides of the ripples of random underused blouses and skirts, waiting to be worn about once every year or two.

This is only my closet at school and I have two other closets at home- one with miscellaneous clothes and shoes, the other holds junk that I find too valuable to toss out, apparently. I'm no hoarder, but I've got my floods of uselessness. Why would I throw away the poems I wrote in middle school or my high school prom dress? Someday my child's best friend's cousin may want to see them. Oh my goodness, could I be a hoarder? I don't have lots of cats, I promise. Please, just don't sign me up for the show. I still have to get my first real job position.

The things I've accumulated in my short life thus far is one example of indication of where my heart often lies- and I love my stuff. 

I often joke about the overwhelming culture of consumerism in the U.S. with friends- how we have an instant Netflix account with hundreds of movie choices, new and old, a RedBox down the street where we have all the latest movies, and we still have to walk down the hall to a friend's movie collection because our choices just don't satisfy. It doesn't make sense. But it's how we live.

We sure do love our customer service, instant this and that, mailed-to, e-mailed-to, text-messaged, digital, fast, convenient lives. Or is it just me?

Consumerism is not a vague, dying concept but it can be seen to continue growing in so many facets of living the 'American dream'. Check out this image from Huffington Post's online article about the brand new, bigger size at Starbucks- the Trenta. 

Because apparently we're willing to pay for an even bigger coffee. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Starbucks and excessive amounts of sugar and caffeine as much as the best of them... and I'll spend my dollar (or 5) on my skinny soy caramel macchiato probably more than I should. 

However, I have questions when confronted with all that is"better" that's only getting bigger and bigger, beginning with: Will it ever stop?

I won't elaborate on the reality that you, me, and everyone in our nation, even those that are considered poor, have more then the majority of the world in this post but you should look into those statistics for yourself.

The issue I do want to address is how our culture of consumerism can flood into what we consider the Christian life. I've heard people say something (sort-of... along the lines of) this: "I tend to come back to God only when I need him to act or when we've lost something." It's scary to think that our selfish and needy nature is tumbling into how we relate to God. 

Recently I've been reading the book With by Skye Jethani that gives 4 postures on how most people relate to God: (These definitions and are brief and unexplained. Read the book {it's a very valuable use of your time} to understand these concepts more.) 

Life Over God: "The mystery and wonder of the world is lost as God is abandoned in favor of proven formulas and controllable outcomes."

Life Under God: "God in simple cause-and-effect terms- we obey his commands and he blesses our lives, our family, and our nation."

Life For God: "The most significant life, it believes, is the one expended accomplishing great things in God's service." 

Life From God: "People in this category want God's blessings and gifts, but they are not particulary interested in God himself."

Lastly, Jethani proposes this last posture as alternative to the above: 

"Life With God is made possible because of what Jesus has done on the cross; he has removed the barrier of sin and death that separates us from God. We have been united with him through Christ."

The first four postures are not bad in theory, however, they distract us from the living God himself who desires to dwell along with us. Our lives are not meant to simply be blessed by Him or to work to find Him or to take teachings -- we already can be with Him. God is enough. 

When we forget our own God-agendas and what we want from Him we can learn to truly desire God Himself. 

So, I don't want to deny the want-more, need-more position we often find ourselves trapped inside in our American customer-serviced-culture. I also will not let this allow myself to reduce, use, or recycle what or who I consider God to be but yearn to know God for who He is, without skew, without selfishness, without an agenda. {Is this even possible?} It's worth a shot. 

Where are you looking for more when God is enough?