Philippians 4:12
I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little.
I came across this statement that was said by David Livingstone “I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time or eternity.”
If you have no Idea why you are here and what God has called you to do, then you will look to things to satisfy you. One of the dangers of having plenty without a stable relationship with God is that you begin to think that you are self-sufficient. You believe the lie that it is all about you and what makes you happy, and you will jump from one thing to another looking for satisfaction. “When you don’t know the purpose of the gold, you will build a golden calf and worship it!
Interesting scripture in
Proverbs 30:8-10 (CEV)
8 Make me absolutely honest and don’t let me be too poor or too rich. Give me just what I need. 9 If I have too much to eat, I might forget about you; if I don’t have enough, I might steal and disgrace your name.
In times of plenty, do you shift the focus away from God to focus on things looking for satisfaction from them? Even in times of plenty when God blesses us with material wealth, we have to be careful to remember that true satisfaction can only be found in Him and not in things. We must never let wealth get such a hold on us that we forget about God, that He ceases to be the focus of our life. If you have been blessed, be generous, give, share with others because in so doing you are demonstrating the love of God as you allow Him to touch others through you and most importantly it’s a reminder to you that it’s not about you. It’s a reminder that you are just a steward of Gods resources and your hope faith and trust is in Him. Only He can satisfy!
REFLECTIONS
1: When have you felt most satisfied with God, is it when you had plenty or when you had little?
2: Does your perception of God’s faithfulness change based on what you have or don’t have?
3: What does that tell you about you and your relationship with God and with things?
