Can I be honest with you? I want power. I want wealth. I want fame. And I want intimacy.

When I’m feeling a bit depressed, it’s because I’m lacking one of those things. I feel frustrated because I have no power (control). I feel sad because no one recognizes me and I feel forgotten (fame). I feel anxious because I’m looking at our savings (wealth).

We can pretend as Christians we don’t want those things, but the truth is that we do. You may have heard that as Christians, we are not supposed to want fame, wealth, and power, but the truth is we can’t help it. It is IN us. We want those things. And the more we try to suppress them, the more they bubble up and seep out!

Aren’t ALL our problems because we don’t have what we want – significance (fame), comfort (wealth), intimacy (marriage and sex), and power (control)? So, we think the solution is to suppress those desires. We tell ourselves, “Do not seek for fame.” “Do not seek for power.” “Do not seek for wealth!” But it never works. Our desires are like a rubber ball. The harder we press it, the more resistance we get from it.

We are not Buddhists. Buddhists’ mantra is to get rid of desires. But we are Christians. That means those desires are given to us by God. Those are GOOD desires! But here’s where humanity has gone wrong. We are to want those thing IN GOD as opposed to in people.

We are to seek for fame IN God, as in, be famous to God and not to people. We are made for His approval and validation. That’s why we want fame. We want wealth that IS God. He is the One who owns the cattle on thousand hills. Our desire for wealth is to be for Him and in Him. Our desire for intimacy is to be directed toward God. Our loneliness is for Him and will only be fulfilled when we know Him truly. Human relationships only serve as a shadow to point us to God Himself.

So, desire fame. Fame in/to God.
Desire wealth. Wealth that is God.
Seek for intimacy. Intimacy with God and His Son, Jesus.
Ask for power. Power to serve Him and make Him famous.

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:4

A child is simply satisfied by her dad’s approval (fame), her dad’s wealth, and sitting in his lap makes everything alright (intimacy).

Rest in God.

PH