Matthew 6:19-21
Treasures Are in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
I really believe the Great Saints saw that the treasures of life are in heaven and the eternities...I, also, believe as the Great Saints got closer and closer to God they discovered that earthly happiness and things of the earth were temporary...I believe they depended less and less on the earthly desires, passions, and pleasures...And as their maturing faith advanced they found that the earthly obstacles mounted and they noticed they sinned more as they got closer to the Perfection of God...The Great Saints must have seen God as their Ultimate Goal, and the place in eternity, so the praise of man became much more secondary...They would be more dependent on God than on the dependency of other men...
As the Great Saint's faith matured I see them needing less and less material things, and this less and less approval of man, and yearning in their hearts to be with their Father...And as their faith advanced they would try to become more and more like His Son...And in trying to be more like Jesus, they saw more of their own flaws and imperfections...So we get closer to God by loving Him, and loving the treasures in heaven...The Saints have a relationship with Him, like they would in any close relationship...