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GIVE“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” – Colossians 3:2
C.S. Lewis writes: “One of the dangers of having a lot of money is that you may be quite satisfied with the kinds of happiness money can give, and so fail to realize your need for God. If everything seems to come simply by signing checks, you may forget that you are at every moment totally dependent on God.”
I remember receiving my first paycheck, and ripping open the envelope to see how much I took home after taxes. It was minimum wage, but it didn’t matter. I was proud. Adding any amount of money to my bank account or my pocket was an exhilarating feeling. With that cash flow came some perceived independence. I was on my way to being an upwardly mobile soon-to-be corporate executive that enjoyed the lifestyle of the rich and famous Well, one can dream can’t they.
And then life happens. And making your way to easy street is not as easy as you thought in your youth. So you are caught somewhere in between, not poor but far from rich, and certainly not famous outside of family and friends. But rich is where we want to get to, because we’ve seen enough rich people treated with respect and admiration to want a piece of that for ourselves.
Yes, we have God, but we want more. We figure we need to work a little harder and a little smarter. We want the American dream that so many before us have enjoyed. But here is the thing. As the paychecks get larger and our portfolio expands, so does our share of the credit. Our dependence on God gets lost in the mix. We forget Deuteronomy 8:18 which says, “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. “
The simple solution to being more dependent on God is to stop worrying about making more money and trust God to provide all your needs. I don’t say that lightly. I consider myself a pretty big God truster, yet I learn daily that I need to trust him more. Fortunately, God leaves the training wheels on until we are ready. That doesn’t mean we should quit our jobs and wait for mamma from heaven. We just need to make sure we don’t put those things before God or that they hamper our dependence on God.
Questions:
1. Take a few minutes and list what you worry about most? What keeps you awake at night? Read Luke 12:24-34 and decide if what you most worry about is covered in this passage of scripture?
2. We all have a desire to be self-sufficient—to be independent. However, our daily needs are meant to remind us of the need for daily dependence on God’s provision. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) What does daily bread mean in your life?
3. What first steps can we make to be more totally dependent on God?
4. Take a few moments and rate your ability to be patient for God to provide our needs. Romans 5: 3 (TLB) says, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient.” And James 1:3-4 (TLB) says, “for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.“ Pray for the patience to wait for God to provide for your needs in His timetable and according to His will.