Losing our possessions...

'Often we are unconscious how powerful our self is until tested in regard to material matters. At times it seems we require more grace to lose our wealth than to lose our life! Earthly things truly represent an acid test for soul life. God’s children who indulge in eating and drinking and in ease and comfort need a deeper cutting away of the cross to free their spirit from the bondage and influence of the soul and to be free to live in God. Any who still hanker after the things of the world have yet to learn how to lose their soul life through the deep penetration of the cross.'  The Spiritual Man - Watchman Nee

Do you believe what Watchman Nee wrote, that bit we just read?  Do you agree that those of us who have a life of relative ease- plenty of food, in fact food to the point of excess, plenty to drink and many comforts to make our lives easier have a harder time than those who have very little and next to no comforts?  In some respects it has to be true, right? Yet in others we can tell ourselves that those who have little are in a constant state of want.  Is that true? Or is it those who have already who always seem to want more, to want better, to want the best there is?  We live in a culture that tells us we should want more, constantly. We compare ourselves to  the rich, the famous, the important, and we are taught to want that. We are taught it by many things- tv, books, peers, family, movies.  So even when we truly do have a lot compared to those who have very little, we believe we need more. We fear losing our possessions. We make plans for losing them, insuring our possessions so we can get them back again should we lose them.  And all this is normal to us. 

So, to ask the question again- Do we believe what Watchman Nee wrote about 'requiring more grace to lose our wealth than to lose our life?'

I believe it.  For me personally, I believe it. I know how incredibly hard I find it to give up things and I know all the reasoning I come up with as to why I shouldn't have to give up my things, there are so many excuses I use and I believe them.  Society tells me I'm allowed to desire all the things I desire and it screams at me that it's NORMAL. 

More on this tomorrow, by the grace of our loving God.

In Jesus' name!