"I should feel guilty wanting abundance when others have so little"
How it sounds in your head: At my age, I should be content with what I have. All those missionaries living on nothing—and I want a nicer retirement? My grandkids think I'm privileged already. Wanting more feels selfish when people are starving.
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."
-- 3 John 1:2Religion taught you poverty is virtue and abundance is greed—making God's blessing shameful.
You've heard 'store up treasures in heaven' used as shame for decades. Every missionary story implied wanting comfort made you carnal, and at 70+ you wonder if desiring ease is immature.
Abraham was 'very rich in livestock, silver, and gold'—this wasn't despite God's blessing but BECAUSE of it. God didn't make him wealthy after he stopped wanting it; abundance was the PROOF of covenant favor.
I REFUSE the lie that wanting abundance is selfish. IT IS WRITTEN that the Father prays I prosper in ALL things. I am Abraham's seed through Christ—the BARAK blessing is mine by covenant, not behavior. God didn't bless Abraham after he became content with little; He made him VERY RICH as proof of favor. IT IS WRITTEN: I am blessed coming in and going out, blessed in the city and the field. The guilt is from religion, not from my Father who runs toward me with the fattened calf, the robe, the ring—ABUNDANCE is His heart for me.
Your Father isn't waiting for you to stop wanting nice things—He's already prepared the fattened calf, already running with the best robe. He gave the prodigal EVERYTHING before he earned a dime back, because generosity is WHO THE FATHER IS.