Empty hearts and empty wallets!

The change of weather often causes us to have a bit of a spring clean. We open up cupboards that have been closed up for winter to look at what is inside. This can cause us to go on a bit of a binge in throwing things out right, left and centre. We can wonder how we end up with so much so stuff and whether it actually achieves the purpose for which it is intended. After we have gone through this period of frantic activity there can be a tendency to return to patterns that were there before.  We can often buy things too quickly and spend money too easily believing it will bring is satisfaction. After the splurge we can be left with empty hearts and empty wallets.

Could I suggest that just as we undertake a Lectio to listen to God’s word spoken to us through scripture we can adopt the same approach to our purchases? If we feel empty inside there can be a tendency to fill that emptiness with a product which seems to feel our greatest desire. Advertising can seem to speak a language of fulfillment rather than engagement. It is good to sit for a while in prayer for the word or the product which seems to want us to buy something new. However, when we come to a place of stillness we can see what can truly bring us joy and hope. Sometimes we already have the resources close at hand in our own minds and hearts. The truth emerges from the inside out and allows us to seek what is truly needed for this day. God can speak to us in our everyday activities and what will truly bring us life.