Bank Balance Jitters - Encouragement Café - October 22, 2015

 

Bank Balance Jitters

Café Menufor Thursday, October 22, 2015

Today’s Special is:  Viewing Money Through God’s Eyes

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Aj Luck

Main Ingredient:

Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.  When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

Proverbs 23:4-5 ESV

Entrée:

If I were to take a random poll and ask, “Does the balance in your bank account effect your mood?” how would you respond?

Me?  Well, I would probably try to find a witty way of avoiding the painful answer of saying yes.  Am I the only one who feels this way?

Maybe.

I don’t like to admit it, but it’s the truth; the raw ugly truth.

When the bank account is plentiful, I feel more secure.

When the bank account is lack, I feel insecure.

I’m worried that maybe we won’t have enough to pay our bills or get all the groceries we want/need for the week.   What if my husband loses his job?  Then what?

This fear rattles me time and time again.  YET, looking back over our thirteen years of marriage, God has never let us go without our NEEDS being met.  Our WANTS?  Oh absolutely!  We have had plenty and we’ve struggled in lack.  Yet whenever things get a little financially uncomfortable the enemy rushes in and whispers, “There’s no hope now.”  Fear takes its icy hands and scrapes at my heart and emotions.

Then fear accuses:

You’re a failure with money.

God is punishing you.

There is no way out of this now.

You didn’t tithe.

Okay, so maybe there is some truth in these accusations of the enemy.

But God doesn’t punish us.  He tells us time and time again that:

He KNOWS that we have needs. (Matthew 6:8)

He promises to meet those needs in abundance. (Ephesians 3:20)

He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

We need to put our trust in HIM. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

We have to stop looking at the bank accounts and look to God.

Money comes and goes.  Life can be uncertain.

I know it gets scary, but God is right there with us.

He is our Father.  We are His children.

He knows how to take care of us, far greater than we could ever try and take care of ourselves. (Matthew 7:11)

Take Out:

When you find yourself getting anxious or worried about money, take time to get away, even if for just a few minutes and pray.  Think back over your life and remember specific times where God has met you and your needs.  As you do this, gratefully remind God of all those times.  The Bible says, “Remind me of my promises to you.”  

As you begin to recount those times, your faith will grow.  Then tell Him of your needs and lay them at His Feet.  Your heart will be full of gratitude and your burden of worry will be gone.

Dessert:

Heavenly Father, thank You for being a Faithful Father in my life.  Lord, You know I struggle with money.  Restore balance in my thinking about money and how to manage it.  Show me how You need me to use the money You give me.  Direct my steps and my heart. Forgive me for the times I’ve mishandled it.  Thank You for Your Grace and for Your unending provisions in my life.  Amen.

© 2015 by Aj Luck.  All rights reserved.

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