When you’re controlled by materialism. The flawed philosophy behind materialism is ‘more, more, more!’ The Bible says, ‘They will never stop wanting more than they have.’ It’s okay to want a decent phone, a reliable car, a new outfit, and so on – and God will provide those things when you’re a good steward of what He’s already entrusted you with. But when the things you want take God’s place in your life, or you want more than you need,, or more than what’s required to fulfil His will, the Bible calls it vanity. The word could be defined as being empty, hollow, or without purpose. Solomon writes, ‘He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity’ (Ecclesiastes 5:10 NKJV). So before you ask God for something you’d like, first ask Him to reveal your life’s purpose, because they’re directly linked. Jesus said, ‘Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not measured by how much one owns’ (Luke 12:15 NCV). God uses a different measuring stick, and His Word says He is ‘able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and…your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God’ (2 Corinthians 9:8, 10-11 NIV). God’s willing to bless you financially, but only when you’re willing to be a conduit and a distributor of His blessings.
