Article October 29, 2007 Issue

addicted to good

BY JOY BENNETT

IT'S ONE THING to shop for a purpose, quite another to shop as though the actual buying of something, anything, is the purpose. I've always loved shopping. New clothes, new shoes. At one time in my life, though, it seemed as if every time I went to the mall, I wanted more stuff—most of which I didn't need. The constant bombardment of ads and incentives to spend more only made the temptation worse. Finally, I realized I'd have to get my shopping addiction under control or my credit card bills would be sky high!

I've relied on Christian Science for healing for over ten years now, and I knew prayer would eliminate this feeling of neediness for material things. As God's perfect, spiritual children, each of us is only attracted to good. No one needs to be a slave to materialism, however well disguised it may be.

For me, this help came in the form of a kind of spiritual discipline. I distinctly remember deciding that whenever I felt the need to spend, especially if I felt that I needed the item to feel satisfied or good about myself, I would instead turn to statements in the Bible and Science and Health that would remind me of my spiritual nature. This would lift me above the craving for material things.