Day 13 - Attachment to Trends and Brands

Begin with prayer -

"God, I believe that You are searching for me and I open my heart to You today. Please clear away the things that are blocking the door to my heart."

Meditation -

This attachment is a form of materialism. It can be an attachment to always having the newest model of something, always buying the latest trend, or simply brand loyalty. I think it's easy to see why the first two things are wasteful and greedy, but brand loyalty can be more insidious. Brand loyalty is useful to us because it lessens the amount of decision making we have to do, being surrounded by myriads of brands and products. However, no brand or company deserves an unwavering loyalty is blind to the, often serious, flaws of the brand/company. Dazzled by image, perhaps we find it easy to ignore the flaws. A blind trust in anything other than God is harmful to our souls. By placing this trust in brands/companies (or people) we are painting on a veneer of perfection that simply cannot exist. Ask the Lord to help you see with His eyes and to trust in Him alone. Examine where you place your trust in the world of commerce and where your loyalty is blind. Look at the way you react to trends and the role that new product iterations have in your life. Draw each attachment out of your heart and offer it to God. With each one pray, "Jesus, Lover of poverty, I trust in You."

Gratitude -

Now or in the evening, pause and reflect on one specific thing you are grateful for today, and give thanks to God for this and all the gifts in your life.