Why Money Isn’t The Source Of All Happiness

Collaborative Post

Place your focus elsewhere  (image)

Money isn’t the source of all happiness, but many of us are still living our lives in pursuit of the dollar. Now, we aren’t saying money isn’t useful - you do need it for the basic necessities in life, and the odd luxury now and again is perfectly fine - but quite often, money is the source of unhappiness. Why?

There are two reasons. Perhaps you don’t have enough money, and this is bound to cause you unhappiness if you are not earning enough to manage. You may have fallen into the trap of debt, especially if you needed help paying bills. There may be lenders banging at your door, threatening you with demands. No wonder you are unhappy. However, you should budget your money, consolidate your debts with Freedom Debt Relief, and seek help from charities who can aid you. You should also pray - God, help me to manage my money, and provide what I need - remembering the word ‘need’ rather than ‘want.’

Alternatively, you may have too much money. Why should this be a problem? Because you can become tied up with material things. You are always buying more, because you have the power to do so. You may have an unhealthy relationship with money that causes you to squander, rather than use it sensibly. And despite the size of your house, and despite the number of things you own, you will still have a hole in your life. Because money can’t give you real happiness - as you will always be wanting more and more and… well, you get the picture! You will never be satisfied.

Too little or too much money? Unhappiness comes from both. And while you should look for ways to reduce your stress if you are struggling - get help with your debts, curb your spending addiction, and practice mindfulness - you should also place your priorities elsewhere. Set your heart on spiritual treasures, rather than earthly ones. This means practicing gratitude for the things you do have, being grateful to God for what you have, rather than what you haven’t. This means giving away your surplus money to those less fortunate to you, as Jesus said to the rich man, “give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” And this means loving life for what it offers you, above and beyond material things.

There is more to life than money. If you are always striving to earn more; if you place more priorities on your job than your life, then you are going to miss out on so much. You will burn yourself out in your endless pursuit to have more, rather than settle for what you do have in your pockets. It’s about setting priorities - remembering the value of your family, your friends, the health you have, and all the other things God has provided you with, above and beyond material things. You see, these things are more important than yet another pair of shoes. And these things are more important than buying something else to keep up with the latest trends. Aren’t they?  Of course they are, but if you are materialistic, if you are greedy, if you are blinded by the concept ‘money can buy you happiness,’ then your life won’t amount to very much in the end.

Money isn’t the source of all happiness. You need it, but you don’t need to let it rule your life. Be content with what you do have, place your values on the things that matter, and live your life accordingly. The rich man couldn’t do it. Many people in your life won’t be able to do it. But God-willing, you may have the strength to stand out from the materialistic crowd.

Take care, God bless, and thank you for reading.