This was a very enlightening lesson. Its amazing how our lives and the way we look at things change when there is a crisis. Its amazing that it comes down to that crisis to really see what we appreciate and value in our lives. I really liked the example the book gave about the couple that had just been robbed and the husband was more concerned about his wife and kids safety than the money that was stolen.
I used to be really envious of what friends and family had that were way beyond my reach to ever own. But I've noticed as I've grown and matured, its nice to have, but not a necessity that I must have. I used to have a really bad attitude when I was first married that I resented my husband for not working like I was due to the fact there just wasn't work out there, not because he wasn't trying. He tried every day to find more work, but you cant if its not out there. I refused to see that though when we had first moved here. I held that against him and I resented it that I couldn't just buy whatever I needed at the moment. I do see now that nothing matters if I don't have my husband or my kids with me. Nothing matters if we don't have our health. We came into this world without material things, we are leaving this world the same when we die.
A question that was asked in the book "What do you think about the biblical concept that the money we have and the things we own aren't really ours but are instead tools to be used to do work for God?" made me really think. I had to just really look around and see that not one thing in this house is mine but I should be using what I was given to do God's will. It can be overwhelming at times and I love looking at it this way. God knows he can trust us with the amount he has given, not more, not less. I may not have as much as a lot of our friends, but maybe I'm not ready to handle that much either in God's eyes. Maybe that isn't the path He is wanting me to travel. I'm working on realizing that we own nothing, everything we have in our possession can be taken away just as fast in a split second. I need to work on this area more as I still look at my kids as mine, not God's. I know they are a gift from God and its so difficult to fathom that they could be taken by God with the blink of an eye.
I used to hold onto things of value etc. An example would be me buying special clothing for Peyton but never letting her wear them because she might ruin them. It took me over 6 months to realize that is such a warped way of thinking about a possession. Its clothing, you are supposed to wear them, not keep them nice and hung in a closet. So eventually I realized I needed to stop buying special clothing if she wasn't going to wear them.
When I was a single mom, I struggled so much trying to raise three kids by myself with no child support for the first three years of Collin's life. That was so challenging. There would be days I would look at my three kids and wonder where our next meal would come, where would I get my two oldest kids' school supplies etc. I also was able to witness that God always provided. Some meals were not big but we always had something to eat. We ate a lot of mac n cheese (boy my daughter hated it after we ate it 2 to 3 times a week for months and months). and really cheap food, but we always seemed to have enough money for these necessities. We weren't able to go out or do anything special, but God always provided our needs. How awesome is our God :-) !!!!
I think today's verse spoke real loud to me. I should never have to worry about money or my needs if I just put my trust in God. It doesn't meant to go out on a spending spree and assume God will cover it. It means live life the way He has instructed you and he will provide your every needs.
Dear God, please help me to stay on the path you have directed me to so that I may keep on trusting in you to provide for our every need. Please help me to realize that no amount of money or material things is worth my relationship with you. I want to focus on You, Lord, not how we will pay our bills, or how we will handle buying food for the kids. You have always provided for us more than we ever need. You have filled our cups to overflowing and I want to say thank you for entrusting us with these things. Lord, I ask that you just calm my anxious heart when I start to worry about money as that should not be the focus. Thank you for giving me a husband that wants to take care of his family as you have instructed. Please entrust him and provide him with a way to do what he is called to do and preach Your word. Lord I ask in Christ's name, Amen
It still amazes me the way God works. I was reading my Jesus Calling daily study and today's reading was: "When some basic need is lacking - time, energy, money - consider yourself blessed. Your very lack is an opportunity to latch onto Me in unashamed dependence. When you begin a day with inadequate resources, you must concentrate your efforts on the present moment. This is where you are meant to live - in the present; it is the place where I always await you. Awareness of your inadequacy is a rich blessing, training you to rely wholeheartedly on Me."
See...this is God's doing, not coincidence.
