Are Overindulged People Capable of Contentment?

It’s imperative to help children to develop an attitude of appreciation and to show gratitude. It helps them gain respect for others and themselves. A crucial way to teach this is encouraging them to give to others. A child who is loved and appreciated and who feels safe, secure, and trustful will learn to give love and affection.

God’s word teaches Christians to give because it shows appreciation for what God has provided. If children are overindulged, then respect for the value of things isn’t learned. Overindulgence does not create in a child gratitude and appreciation because children sense it isn’t right.

An attitude of gratitude is key to a contented life. This does not mean you have all you want but that you are contented with what God provides. When Jesus tells us to give, he is referring to giving what has eternal value, such as appreciation and thankfulness wrapped up in deep-felt love and service to God and others.  

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“He who offers a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way rightly [who follows the way that I show him], I shall show the salvation of God.”

~Psalm 50:23 Amplified Bible

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How Can We Escape the Web of Unhappiness?

What causes unhappiness and why do so many people seem to be caught in its web? It is true that after the age of five or six, children have the capacity to remember experiences that were so painful that healing seems out of sight. Some researchers believe there is a genetic predisposition for unhappiness.

There are numerous ways to respond to unhappiness, regardless of its origin. Some individuals try to free themselves by having affairs or engaging in excessive work. Others try to slip through the web of unhappiness by overindulgence in drugs and alcohol. Extreme pleasure-seeking is another attempt to break away.

Any form of unhappiness, regardless of its origin or cause, creates grief because something has been lost. To grieve is the best way to heal, as Jesus pointed out in Matthew 5:3. "Blessed or are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." This does not mean grieving is pleasant, but it’s God’s way to restore joy and peace.  

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When [God’s] people pray for help, he listens and rescues them from their troubles. The Lord is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope. The Lord’s people may suffer a lot, but he will always bring them safely through.   

~Psalm 34:17-19 Contemporary English Version

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Want to Be Filled Completely?

Everyone has been guilty of seeking shortcuts to happiness. Parents have been duped into believing if children have enough toys, clothes, cars and the latest electronics, they'll surely be happy. Yet children can still feel deprived, lonely and depressed. Living in a rushed, hurried world shrinks quality time for love and affection shared with their parents.

 

Once caught in this trap of indulgence, parents may need a miracle to break its stronghold, but habits can be broken. First, set clear-cut objectives for children to appreciate and respect what you provide, regardless of how little that may be. Although family time is hard to come by in our society, make it a priority, for this becomes a major contributor to happiness.

Re-assess your quest to satisfy yourself with indulgences to see if they provide the happiness you crave. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled." He said this because he knew that whoever seeks God and his righteousness will have their needs satisfied completely. Be committed to this objective.  

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Happy are those who long to be just and good, for they shall be completely satisfied.

~Matthew 5:6 The Living Bible

Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and be safe.

Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desire.

Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you.

He will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.

~Psalm 37:3-6 Good News Bible

Fightings Within, Fears Without: Come to God - Part 3

Internal struggles can be caused by having a lack of self-control when faced with difficult choices. Learned patterns of thinking and believing may serve as obstructions to realizing success and happiness. A man in his forties explained how his parents overindulged him as a child, creating an impression that life would be easy and that others were obliged to meet his needs.

Overindulgence produced impatience with others and a lack of self-control. While he was not a drug or alcohol abuser, he found it difficult to resist other temptations. Although we have the right to pursue what could be construed as happiness, we do not have the right to violate the ethical rules and guidelines of society or of God’s laws.

Beyond society’s expectations, God’s laws eventually become conscious to each person. However, true and lasting confidence comes from being certain of your standing with Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord. Internal strife and conflict diminish as Christ Jesus becomes real in every aspect of your life.