Why More Never Feels Like Enough
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." — Matthew 6:21
Fireweed is one of Alaska's most beloved wildflowers, often covering entire valleys in brilliant pink blooms after long winters. Despite its abundance, each blossom lasts only a short time—a gentle reminder that earthly pleasures, no matter how beautiful, are often temporary.
Why does the excitement of something new fade so quickly? Discover what Jesus teaches about the endless pursuit of "more" and the contentment that comes from seeking lasting treasure.
Have you ever gone looking for something in a closet and found three other things you’d completely forgotten you owned? I did that just the other day. I wasn’t looking for anything important—at least, I don’t think I was. But somewhere between a dusty storage box, a stack of old photo albums, and a basket full of random items I had apparently saved for a very good reason I can no longer remember—plus those three Amazon boxes from last week that I swore I needed—I stopped and wondered how so many things had managed to gather under my roof.
The funny thing is that every single one of those objects arrived with a purpose. At one point, each seemed incredibly useful, deeply important, or just too good a deal to pass up. Yet there they sat, quietly taking up space in a closet that I once complained needed to be larger. I’ve officially reached the age where I suspect possessions multiply in the dark when nobody is looking.
Jesus understood this weird human glitch long before storage units, online shopping, and targeted ads convinced us that happiness was only one click away. In the Sermon on the Mount, He gave us a reality check:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” Matthew 6:19.
We tell ourselves just one more thing, and then we’ll be happy. Then we’ll feel secure. Then we’ll finally be satisfied. Yet that “finally” always seems to move a little farther down the road. That is why Jesus’ words still matter so much. When He warned us about storing up earthly treasures, He wasn’t trying to make our lives smaller or suck the fun out of things. He was trying to make our hearts freer. Because the truth is, no possession can carry the weight of our deepest hopes. Sooner or later, every earthly treasure disappoints us—not because it’s inherently bad, but because it was never designed to be our source of peace.
That’s why Jesus follows His warning with the real punchline:
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21.
The real issue isn’t actually what is sitting in our cluttered closets. The real issue is what is sitting on the throne of our lives. Whatever we treasure most slowly gathers our attention, our affection, and our trust around itself. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that the things we cling to most tightly usually end up demanding the most maintenance from us.
What we hold holds us. And enough begins with trust.
Before we meet again, try a little experiment. Open a closet, a drawer, or a cabinet and see if you can find something you’ve forgotten about. If you do, don’t worry—you’re not failing at life. You’re simply participating in a tradition that has apparently existed since the invention of closets. And maybe keep a donation box handy for when that “just one more thing” feeling hits again.
