material blessings

[silkybunny]

hullo. I have a question that I'm not sure what to do with, if someone could provide some insight I'd be very grateful.
Will God bless you with spiritual and material things? I understand he doesn't have to, but could he? For example, if someone surprises me with a gift for no particular reason, can I take that also as a gift from God? One of the things I love most is imagining God as one who also gives little gifts to his children (it just makes me feel like he cares about all aspects of us – even when it comes to our individual desires), but is this accurate? Or is it only spiritual things he’ll bless us with? Why not both? How can I tell if the things I’m given in this life are a stumbling block to me? I read a fair bit about how nothing here is of much consequence, but I find a lot of beauty in the world and in creation (in nature, animals, objects, etc.) and love to dwell on those kinds of things and glorify God for it, and would hate to see it as hinderance in my spiritual journey because I'm interested in something here, in this world… I’m under the impression things here are not good for us, at all, but that doesn't really seem right to me.

 

[ArmyMatt]

sure He can bless us with material things, but it’s to help us love Him and serve the neighbor.

 

[silkybunny]

sure He can bless us with material things, but it’s to help us love Him and serve the neighbor.

thank you for the reply! How do I use the things he blesses me with to serve my neighbor? Is it enough to be willing to part with it/them if I think it can benefit someone else, or if someone else asks for it/them? Can I own possessions I like, or is that storing things up here, and going to affect inheritance in heaven?

 

[ArmyMatt]

thank you for the reply! How do I use the things he blesses me with to serve my neighbor? Is it enough to be willing to part with it/them if I think it can benefit someone else, or if someone else asks for it/them? Can I own possessions I like, or is that storing things up here, and going to affect inheritance in heaven?

that depends on what you are keeping and how you are using it. so, if you have a home gym so that you will be healthy to be able to go out and help the poor over a long life, plus you are keeping care of the Temple God gifted you, keep the gym.

 

[silkybunny]

and if they were little keepsakes or statues? Things that when I look at them, I recall memories and adore God for making such beautiful things? Or things I just fancy having around out of personal taste? Also, will my inheritance in heaven be affected if I have possessions here?
Sorry I have so many additional questions!

 

[ArmyMatt]

Things that when I look at them, I recall memories and adore God for making such beautiful things? Or things I just fancy having around out of personal taste?

this doesn’t have to be either/or

 

[Wildflower3]

I suffer the same concerns and worries as you. I'm a very visual person and I love to decorate and make things looks pretty. These objects also hold good memories for me.

It sounds like these earthly things, these 'items" you love give you solace in this world and also evoke thanksgiving and praise to God, you seem to be on the right path. It doesn't sound at all that these earthly things are pulling you away from Christ.

Here is quote from St. Porphyrios that might help:

"All things around us are droplets of the love of God.

The beauties of nature are the little loves that lead us to the great Love that is Christ.

Take delight in all things that surround us. All things teach us and lead us to God. All things around us are droplets of the love of God — both things animate and inanimate, the plants and the animals, the birds and the mountains, the sea and the sunset and the starry sky.

They are little loves through which we attain to the great Love that is Christ. Flowers, for example, have their own grace: they teach us with their fragrance and with their magnificence. They speak to us of the love of God. They scatter their fragrance and their beauty on sinners and on the righteous.

For a person to become a Christian he must have a poetic soul. He must become a poet. Poetic hearts embrace love and sense it deeply.

Make the most of beautiful moments. Beautiful moments predispose the soul to prayer; they make it refined, noble and poetic. Wake up in the morning to see the sun rising from out of the sea as a king robed in regal purple. When a lovely landscape, a picturesque chapel, or something beautiful inspires you, don’t leave things at that, but go beyond this to give glory for all beautiful things so that you experience Him who alone is comely in beauty. All things are holy — the sea, swimming and eating. Take delight in them all. All things enrich us, all lead us to the great Love, all lead us to Christ. "

 

[silkybunny]

I suffer the same concerns and worries as you. I'm a very visual person and I love to decorate and make things looks pretty. These objects also hold good memories for me.

It sounds like these earthly things, these 'items" you love give you solace in this world and also evoke thanksgiving and praise to God, you seem to be on the right path. It doesn't sound at all that these earthly things are pulling you away from Christ.

Here is quote from St. Porphyrios that might help:

"All things around us are droplets of the love of God.

The beauties of nature are the little loves that lead us to the great Love that is Christ.

Take delight in all things that surround us. All things teach us and lead us to God. All things around us are droplets of the love of God — both things animate and inanimate, the plants and the animals, the birds and the mountains, the sea and the sunset and the starry sky.

They are little loves through which we attain to the great Love that is Christ. Flowers, for example, have their own grace: they teach us with their fragrance and with their magnificence. They speak to us of the love of God. They scatter their fragrance and their beauty on sinners and on the righteous.

For a person to become a Christian he must have a poetic soul. He must become a poet. Poetic hearts embrace love and sense it deeply.

Make the most of beautiful moments. Beautiful moments predispose the soul to prayer; they make it refined, noble and poetic. Wake up in the morning to see the sun rising from out of the sea as a king robed in regal purple. When a lovely landscape, a picturesque chapel, or something beautiful inspires you, don’t leave things at that, but go beyond this to give glory for all beautiful things so that you experience Him who alone is comely in beauty. All things are holy — the sea, swimming and eating. Take delight in them all. All things enrich us, all lead us to the great Love, all lead us to Christ. "

that is so beautiful! That quote is probably the most lovely thing I've read so far <3 I'm very much amazed at the beauty God's created, it's an honor and blessing to me to able to decorate both my home and body with such things. Minimalism seems so highly regarded by everyone, and I can see why, but at the same point...I think if you are grateful, and generous, and of course humble...why is it a bad thing to own pretty things?

 

[Wildflower3]

I agree. If you're going to own something anyway, why not have it be pretty?

I think someone said that we are all subconsciously attracted to beauty because Christ is beauty itself.