There is a clip online from Steve Harvey’s show where he explains how he asks people to make a list of 500 things they want. His guest at the time admitted to only being on number 60. Steve went on to say that most people couldn’t make the list because they only desire things that are within their limits, financially and physically.
“I can easily think of 500 things I want,” I thought as I watched this clip. I could think of a million things, or so I thought. I made a mental note of things I would add to my list while I lay in bed surfing the web. Once I got to my laptop to actually start this list, I looked at the blank document and laughed.
I don’t deserve 500 things.
Obvious things came to mind first. Being a full-time writer. Getting married. Having children. Living in Texas. Making my mom my nanny. As I thought more and more about it, I realized Steve was right. Those things alone are so far from my reality that I often think they will always be dreams. How am I supposed to come up with 495 more?
The thing about wishing and praying for future goals and dreams is this: God is not a genie. We cannot rub a lamp, watch Him appear and tell him we want things that we aren’t working for. I know for a fact that I can’t be trusted with a million dollars right now, so why would I ask God for that?
I imagine God to be very relatable and one of my best friends. As a friend, He’d probably look at me crazy like…girl, you know good and well if I bless you with all that money…you’d trick it off.
Okay, God. Good point.
Now, I’m not saying don’t dream or make goals. Visualizing your goals is what should motivate you. Why do you think vision board parties have become so popular? Put that thing in your face long enough and you’ll figure out a way to get it. But I cannot sit and say, “Oh, I wish God would bless me with a nice figure,” while I’m sitting in my bed eating pasta and breadsticks.
God doesn’t work like that!
A cadillac escalade. A husband who gives amazing foot rubs. A huge scholarship fund for black girls who love to read and write. Long, poppin’ curls.
I’m no where near 500.
But I’m not worried. I’ll get there.
Write to recover 
I like how you said, “I don’t deserve 500 things”. That shows a different perspective to answering that question. None of us truly deserve anything, but by grace and hard work we’ve obtained them. I saw a video on Facebook with a guy wearing a suit with dollar bills taped to him and holding a sign that read “tale what you need”. I’m sure you know what happened next. The people who had need of nothing took more than a fair share, while a homeless man with a dog only grabbed 2 dollars and said “give it (the rest) to those who need it”. Makes you see things a whole lot differently. Motivation to achieve the things we want seems a whole lot harder, but in the end so much more appreciative of those things.
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I saw that video! It’s crazy how entitled we feel sometimes smh.
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This is good.
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Love this post, I am acting going to take this challenge. It’s very true when you don’t put faith in front of your face on a daily you will never believe in yourself. Thanks for sharing this post!
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Thank you for reading!
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This is a solid message and it needs to be taught more because with prosperity gospel (regardless of spiritual/religious beliefs) a lot of people have this mentality that God is a genie and a spiritual relationship should not just be where one is a taker, it should be equal imo. Thanks for this message.
Kendro
http://www.thekendroshow.com
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Yes!!! I had that mindset for a while too! I know God side eyes me on a daily lol.
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Wow…500 is…alot. I don’t even know if I can get to 100 of absolute wants or even needs! I’m not picky with like the top 5 things I want in life (and they definitely aren’t on a shelf for me to just go pick up), so to think of 495 more? Nope! I’m not fussy about cars, clothes, houses etc. Lol A challenging thing to consider for sure.
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