The Stuff That Drives Me Crazy

by Shelia Gaines

Verse For Thought:
Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. Genesis 45:20 (KJV)

I lost my key in the great unknown and call me please ‘cuz I can’t find my phone. This is the stuff that drives me crazy. This is the stuff that’s getting to me lately. In the middle of my little mess, I forget how big I’m blessed.

These words are from the song, This is the Stuff, by Francesca Battistelli. The message of the song conveys some of the feelings that we have when we allow ourselves to become overwhelmed by the “stuff” of life.

While reading the bible many years ago, I was so surprised to come across the word "stuff". I don’t know why it seemed to so odd to me to see it there, but it was. However, the more I thought about it, the more I understood how often we become obsessed with our stuff. The bible clearly tells in in Matthew 6:33 that our focus should be on the kingdom of God and not our stuff, but more and more our focus seems to be shifting from the kingdom of God to the stuff of the world

Granted, everybody has stuff. Anyone who has a cluttered home or office knows how easy it is to accumulate a bunch of it. I believe that Ms. Battistelli’s message is not so much that there is anything wrong with having “stuff” to deal with in our lives as it is admonishing us to not allow that stuff to take our focus off of God.

Battistelli’s song continues with these lyrics

           This is the stuff that gets under my skin, but I’ve gotta trust you know exactly what you’re doing. It might not be what I would choose, but this is the stuff you use.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Lord, help me to get rid of unnecessary stuff and organize the rest of my stuff. Show me how to trust that you know exactly what you are doing even when the stuff you use to get my attention is not always pleasant for me. If I have allowed any stuff in my life to take priority over you, please reveal it to me, forgive me, and continue to lead me. Amen.

Take the Next Step:
Take a few minutes to take inventory of your stuff. Is there anything driving you crazy that could actually draw you closer to God? Instead of always complaining about stuff, find out where God is in the middle of your little mess and remember the words to this song. Why not listen to it now and don’t forget how big you are blessed.