The American Dream

     It does not take long to look around and see how people are striving for the biggest and best career, the biggest house on the block with the white picket fence, and the super car that lets everyone know that they have "arrived".  It is not hard to see the standards that have been given for us to strive to reach in order to be considered significant in this society.  It is not hard to see the media's tainted definition of success or the stress that people put on themselves to keep up with this notion.  Personally after working very hard to earn some of those things that society told me that I needed in order to be important, I began doing some soul searching.  One day, I was just pondering about all of "my accomplishments" and wondered a few things.  I wondered  if this was all there was to it.   Why did I have all of these things that the world told me would make me happy, but still felt a lack of purpose.  That is when God started working with me and I learned something very valuable.  The American Dream is not found in the bible.

    In Corinthians 10:31, it tells us that whatever we eat or drink, or whatever we do, do it all for the glory of God.  With that being said, we should know and believe that everything that we accomplish, do, or say should bring glory to our heavenly father.  This  is where many people get off track.  If you do things for your own glory or for the sake of having the American Dream, then you will not have peace, purpose, or rest.  There will always be this constant search for the next big thing leaving you feeling hungry and spent as you constantly search for your purpose.  When searching for a nice house, car, or any other material thing, we need to ask ourselves are we using these material things to bless others.  Are we using our big or small homes to show hospitality and love to others?  Are we using our cars to bless others?  Are we using our finances to help someone in need?  Having materials things is nice, but the main purpose is to bless others and to glorify God in these things that he has blessed us with.  When we get that notion, we will understand the real reason and purpose behind what we do.  It is not to obtain the American Dream, but to give God glory.