![\"on-loving-money\"](\"https:\/\/www.becomingminimalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/on-loving-money.jpg\")
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\u201cMoney never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u2014Benjamin Franklin<\/p>\n The possession<\/em> of money is not contrary to a simplified life, but the love<\/em> of money is. The love of money can never be satisfied. It is a hopeless love that always desires more. It is a wasted energy. And more than that, it keeps us, our attitude, and our actions in bondage.<\/p>\n When the\u00a0love of money is present, freedom is not.<\/p>\n How then do we move beyond the desire to acquire more? While entire books have been written on this subject, let me throw out a few thoughts just to get you started toward freedom from the desire to acquire:<\/p>\n 1. See money only as a tool to move through life. <\/strong>At its core, money is a bartering tool. It saves us from making our own clothes, tools, and furniture. Because of currency, I can spend my days doing what I love and am good at. In exchange, I receive money to trade with someone else who uses their giftedness to create something different than me. That\u2018s it. That\u2018s its purpose. And if you have enough to meet your needs, you shouldn\u2018t commit the rest of your day to acquiring more.<\/p>\n 2. Be content with poverty or great wealth.<\/strong> I know poor people who live in complete contentment and I know rich people who are further from contentment today than when they were lacking. Your possessions do not lead to contentment. Your heart attitude does. And if the love for money limits freedom, contentment is the pathway to it.<\/p>\n 3. Avoid debt.<\/strong> A lender is a slave to his creditor. Spending more money than you earn will always result in bondage to another. And there is no simplicity in bondage. If you cannot get out from under the weight of debt, find some help.<\/p>\n 4. Learn to share.<\/strong> Sharing your possessions with others benefits the borrower and the lender. So be a lender\u2026 and be a borrower.<\/p>\n 5. Remember that money comes and money goes.<\/strong> Like the tides of the ocean, money rolls in and money rolls out. Sometimes, there is money left over at the end of the day and sometimes there is not enough. That is the very nature of money. Do not fear its cycles. Welcome them.<\/p>\n I have no hidden dreams of this post magically\u00a0solving the world’s desire for more. I just hope it helps to balance mine…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cMoney never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.\u201d\u00a0\u2014Benjamin Franklin The possession of money is not contrary to a simplified life, but the love of money is. The love of money can never be satisfied. It is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[440],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n