Placing our Identity in Things

[divadiva]

How much worth do you put in “things?”

Do you find yourself comparing the things you own to the things that others have? Does it make you feel inferior or resentful?

Do you ever casually mention things you have to show off or gain superiority?

[kimbalaya]

i have to admit, i put a lot of worth in material things. i don't do it to impress other people or to feel superior to others, i do it to make myself happy. i don't know why, and don't necessarily think it's wrong, as long as i'm not doing it with ill itention to make others feel bad. i think of it as life's rewards, and if you want something then you should get it if it makes you feel happy.

[fashionlove]

ok, i admit it, i too put lots of worth in "things." it's so hard not to be materialistic.

i could probably agree that we should reward ourselves with things that make us happy, but i think when you look at the root of it all, that's not true. we shouldn't find happiness in things, we should find it in ourselves and in God. We don't deserve anything we have, it was given to us freely by the grace of God. We don't even need any of those things to survive, and yet we place so much worth and value in them.

i do have a hard time seeing other people who have something i want but can't afford and it does make me sad, though not necessarily resentful. i would hate to think i punish others just because of their possessions. I think this is something I really need to work on, because I know that the new dress i bought last week isn't going to make me happy in the long run, I can only find happiness in a relationship with the Lord. There's nothing like experiencing His love and sharing that with others.

[blue332]

ok, i admit it - i'm totally guilty!

sometimes i will casually mention something only because i know it will make me look good. i have to stop that, it's horrible!

[divinediva]

I think I deserve everything that I have and I believe everything I experience is for a reason. Ok...so what do I mean by deserve? Well I believe when you are awakened and living your true life's purpose, then what you have and what you experience is all for a reason and therefore deserved.
However, if we choose to live a life that we "think" that we should be living instead of "being", then the "deserving" becomes a ego statement. Does this make sense?

I am not disagreeing with any of you but I am just expressing a thought that just came to me and I just wanted to share a perspective.

I am finally getting a chance to express my true feelings somewhere and I am actually enjoying this :D

[Jessica]

Well, I do compare myself to others. I think of it as a positive thing. I want to be as good as the best. Simply because I believe that we can be so much more than what we are. and when you see others going off in life, it is inspirational. I think the more we grow in life the higher quality of life we create, in many ways that breaks mind barriers and boundries and we begin to Unite.
There is always that fine line to walk with everything, like walking a tight rope so you don't fall off your rocker, but that is why we train ourselves and have practices so that when it is time to take it to the next level our mind, body, emotions, and spirit our strong. And anyone that trains themselves, has a empathy for others because they know how much of their being goes into it, and that again creates Unity.