There is often a big difference between what we want and what we need. And it’s important to know the difference so that we make wise choices.
For instance:
Standing before a bakery counter chock-full of delicious desserts, you may want a piece of chocolate mousse pie, but do you need it?
Walking through Macy’s clothing department, your eye falls on a new fashion that is screaming off the rack, “buy me, buy me,” but you just had a discussion with your budget the evening before, and decided you needed to spend less. Do you really need to buy it?
A co-worker criticizes you unreasonably, and you want to lob a few criticisms back. But do you need to?
Your child is acting up and you’re tempted to yell at her to get her attention. But do you need to?
You’re feeling a bit dumpy and depressed and want to be lazy and waste your day in idleness and self-absorption. But do you need to?
You’re starting to feel ill and want to give in to the illness and just let it run its course. But do you need to?
The sooner we discern between what we want and what we need, we’ll exercise more dominion over our body, our actions, our budget, our words, our relationships with others, our attitude, our health and our whole life.
Mortal mind is filled with selfish wants, which, when engaged, take the unwary down a path of eventual self-destruction and suffering. Unfortunately, indulging the wants feels emotionally satisfying at first, and even thrilling, but the temporary sensation soon flees, and one has to face the consequences of the original poor decision.
So…how to make better choices?
Answer the question, “What do I need?” ahead of time. And get the answer correct!
What do we need more than all else? God, Christ, spiritual growth, spiritual understanding, spiritual contentment, satisfaction and joy, and love lived. Commit to these and the rest will be easy.
When you have Christ, you have everything. There isn’t anything better.
Haven’t we gone down that path. Whenever I felt low, even when I started learning Christian Science, I would buy, buy, buy. Oh! Yes, I bought things that interested me, such as video’s of movies and model cars by the dozen. We’re they needed? A RESOUNDING NO. It finally took one of the Nurse Aides who is taking care of me to stop the habit and encouraged me to study my religion, C/S. which I did and I do. I thank GOD every day for sending me Savita who helped me stop this bad habit.