A young man and his wife had their first daughter about five years after they were married. They lived in a perfect little starter house, had lots of friends to share life with and earned an income that made it possible to save a little for the future. It seemed they had everything a young couple could want.
After having two more children, the couple moved their family into an affluent subdivision. Both wanted to have successful careers so they could afford their new house, lease a new SUV and send their children to an expensive school. The desire to save even a little bit went out the door with their monthly bill payments.
Life is in a different season for the couple. They spend a lot more time with each other now that their children are grown. And they have realized that their career goals — a CEO job for him, the ownership of an IT business for her — were not going to happen in this lifetime.
After years of pursuing what they wanted, they are beginning to ask themselves what they need. This is a question many wise couples ask themselves, often early in their marriage. They seek experience from couples who have traveled the same road and formed a deeper, more mature love for the person who said “yes” so many years ago. And they come to understand that wants and needs are very different things.
As 2021 winds down and 2022 is right around the corner, what are some of the needs or wants that we must ask ourselves about husband and wife?
• Do we really need a local church or pastor in our lives?
• Do I stay home as a mom or put 40 hours into a job?
• Is this golf game every Saturday worth it?
• Will that promotion really improve our lifestyle, or will it create more pressure from debt?
• Is the new house really what we need, or do we want it so we can keep up with our peers?
• How much money do we need, and how much do we want?
Spend the time at the end of this year to reflect so that, in the new year, you can focus on what’s really important to you.
Live inspired,
Jimmy
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