"To have what we want is riches; but to be able to do without is power"

True wealth, according to George MacDonald, is not solely measured by the abundance of possessions or achieving every desire. Material riches often signify an ability to acquire what is wanted, fulfilling immediate appetites or long-held aspirations. Yet, the deeper form of strength lies in transcending these desires, mastering them rather than being mastered by them. The capacity to do without, to forgo something craved or needed, signifies autonomy and self-command.

Possessions and the pursuit of wants can create a cycle of dependency. The more we attain, the more we may fear their loss and, paradoxically, feel impoverished should something be out of reach. Needs and wants can become chains, quietly dictating choices and shaping lives even as they accumulate. Riches, in this sense, can foster vulnerability, for satisfaction becomes contingent upon external circumstances, things we have little ultimate control over.

In contrast, true power arises from self-restraint and contentment. The ability to comfortably do without stems from inner sufficiency and an understanding that one’s value or happiness is not defined by accumulation or indulgence. This detachment frees an individual from anxiety over lacking, grants resilience amid deprivation, and opens the space for gratitude for what already exists. Such power is subtle and quiet, neither ostentatious nor dependent on the world's shifting tides.

Self-denial, in its healthiest form, is not mere asceticism or contempt for enjoyment; rather, it is the strength to choose freely, unfettered by compulsion. The person who can do without, yet remains whole and secure, commands their own spirit. They are less liable to manipulation, better able to withstand adversity, and able to find purpose and satisfaction beyond acquisition. Ultimately, power lies not in the abundance of wealth, but in mastery over desires.