"I should feel bad about nice things when Jesus had nowhere to lay His head."
How it sounds in your head: Jesus was homeless. Paul was beaten and shipwrecked. The disciples left everything. And here you are thinking about upgrading, traveling, enjoying comfort? What kind of follower are you? If Jesus suffered and went without, shouldn't you? Living better than Jesus feels presumptuous, entitled, unspiritual. Real disciples sacrifice.
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich."
-- 2 Corinthians 8:9Religion's martyrdom teaching uses Jesus' earthly suffering to guilt believers out of covenant blessing, ignoring that He became poor so we could be rich.
You've been taught to imitate Jesus, and the Jesus you've been shown is poor, suffering, sacrificing. Every nice thing feels like a betrayal of His sacrifice. If He went without, how dare you have abundance? The comparison makes you feel like you're choosing comfort over cross, ease over discipleship. Real commitment should look like suffering, right?
The Shunammite woman was described as a 'notable woman' - wealthy, prominent. She built an UPPER ROOM addition to her house for Elisha - bed, table, chair, lampstand - all nice furnishings. God didn't rebuke her wealth or comfort. He blessed her with a miracle son because her generous provision from abundance pleased Him.
I REFUSE the lie that I should feel guilty for blessing when Jesus suffered. IT IS WRITTEN that though He was RICH, He became poor so that I might become RICH - that was the PURPOSE of the exchange. He took my poverty; I get His riches. Feeling guilty rejects why He did it. IT IS WRITTEN that I am blessed with the blessing of Abraham and redeemed from the curse of poverty. Jesus' temporary earthly suffering accomplished my permanent covenant prosperity. I receive abundance without guilt, knowing He BECAME poor so I could BE rich, and my Father runs toward me with the robe, ring, and every good gift.
Your Father didn't keep the prodigal in poverty because 'Jesus suffered, so should you.' He gave him the BEST robe, the ring, the sandals, the feast - full restoration to abundance because that's what Jesus' sacrifice PURCHASED. Jesus suffered so you could be blessed. Rejecting the blessing rejects the purpose of His suffering.