Kate Spade had a billion dollar business and her personal net worth was estimated around 200 million dollars. She had fame and fortune and you couldn’t go to most shopping malls without seeing her name displayed.
She has left most of us challenging ourselves, “What could have been such a source of despair in the midst of having everything?”
Truth is- most people have or will have a source of despair at some point in life. That’s the grip of sin over all creation. We get this crazy notion that on the outside if things look great, a person with great wealth and fame has a better “handle” on their despair. We will ALL have different suffering until the day we are in the presence of the Lord. There will be no more long-suffering for the believers in Christ on that day or any day moving forward.
Not only was Kate Spade worth a lot of money, but she built the empire from a one bedroom apartment. She was invincible and sustainable.
Our hardest critic and our biggest enabler of discontentment is ourself. So easily we cling to the comforts of this world, but nothing in this world will ever bring true JOY.
Our hope in man, our hope in ourselves, and our hope in the things of this world will never bring true contentment. The presence of Christ in our lives and knowing him personally is the ONLY source of true contentment.. Regardless of circumstances, money or fame. God made us for a purpose.
Many of us walk daily outside the purpose our Creator created us for. But likewise, many walk in the one thing God create us for and don’t even see the Creator while doing it. That, brings the question of, “What is this all for?”, “What is this life about?”. It’s an emptiness even while fulfilling a passion inside you, that you were created for. God wants us to leave a legacy that brings him Glory, so that those around us can know and feel his love...so they too can be saved from this discontentment...
Clearly, legacy was important to Kate Spade, but at some point she was robbed of all things worth living for. Reports mentioned that mental health and divorce entangled her into this path, but we know it goes much deeper. We should all have a heartache from knowing even this: She felt such despair that she felt she had to abandon her child who she cared so much for, she even sold her business to stay home and raise her. We see that even our own children, who we would all die for, do not give us the WILL to live beyond that despair. No matter how much we love someone....not even mankind can fill that hole we all have in our heart and soul.
There is only one way to feel true “contentment”, to feel whole. It’s knowing the true value we have in Christ, the true purpose He created us for, and knowing that an unsurpassable price was paid for us to be saved through Jesus’ death. We have to be in relationship with our Father. Our identity is found in HIM even in the midst of despair.
RESCUER:
“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalm 40:2
JOY:
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11
CONTENTMENT:
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13
POSSESSIONS:
"But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” 1 Timothy 6:6-9