“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” Philippians 4:11 NLT
Yep. The economy is bad …again. Inflation …ridiculous. The cost of living …quite frankly unfair. Taxes …let’s not spark that debate here. Life is getting predominately more expensive. Moment by moment our budgets must adjust as quickly as the gas station signs that advertise the cost per gallon on every corner of our towns change. It’s easy to let fear take a strong root in seasons like these. Where does our faith kick in? Drowning in the prevalence of the prosperity gospel mixed with the acute fear of not having enough, we run the risk of falling out of balance with what God says He will do in our lives.
The apostle Paul understood what it meant to live in lack. His life took a U-turn when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, Paul gave up any assurance of living a life of plenty as a Pharisee. He exchanged everything he had accomplished, and the citizenship he was born into to follow Jesus. The English dictionary defines scarcity as “insufficiency of supply; rarity; dearth; infrequency. Dearth is an inadequate supply or lack and can be used to describe famine. Scarcity is a root of fear, in full bloom. It’s as invasive as the most enduring weed and prevalent as ivy vines that wind around all attach to.
The Philosophy of Scarcity
“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.” 1 Timothy 6:6 NLT
Contentment is through a relationship with God through Christ, not the dangling carrots of the world. Dr. Jeff Schreve observed many Christians are scarcity thinkers. “They tend to dream small, plan small, and pray small because they live in the land of little, lack, and not enough,” he observed, “They tend to hoard the resources and blessings God has given them because they think there may not be any more coming their way. They tend to ask God for a little and not for a lot because, after all, who in the world even has a lot? Answer: God does!”
When my daughter and I went on a mission to El Salvador, the team there prayed over her for the healing of her Type 1 Diabetes. “We are believing we will be writing your name on the wall of healing miracles by the end of the summer,” they informed my daughter. The danger of prayers like these is the way they tend to ebb and flow from prosperity to scarcity. Modern-day Pharisees preached to my family under the blanket of the Pentecostal denomination about how obedience and faith would be rewarded by blessing, favor, and healing. The predicted end of the summer healing didn’t happen. My daughter still has Type 1 Diabetes. Our short experience with the Pentecostal denomination has come to an end, and we are back home at the non-denominational church we belonged to as we raised our children and grew in our faith.
Yes, God can heal my daughter completely, whether here on earth or in heaven. His timing is not affected by her faithfulness, my obedience, or anything else. On the contrary, no matter what we do or don’t do on this earth, the favor of God is upon our lives so long as we seek Him with all of our hearts.
Horribly painful seasons rain down on wonderfully faith-filled people. The prosperity and scarcity versions of the gospel allow the world and its elements to affect what God says is happening …and will happen. “It’s easy for Christians to watch the news and conclude that Christianity is losing its influence in America,” Andy Jones wrote in his article “Beware the Scarcity Gospel” for The Gospel Coalition, “I’m not asking you to disbelieve the news or set yourself up for disappointment. I’m asking you to believe in the power of the gospel to save. I am asking you to believe that Christ can use our churches, our preaching, our prayers, and our meager gifts to do things that are disproportionately amazing in our lifetime.”
Fighting a Scarcity Mentality
“Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5 NLT
God is our Provider. To fight a scarcity mentality, we need to trust this attribute: “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT
The apostle Paul learned how to put full trust in who God is, Provider. “Abundance’ (prosperity) and ‘need’ (scarcity) are very different circumstances,” Jon Bloom wrote in an article for desiringgod.com titled, “Lord, All I Have Is Yours,” “They both require faith in order to handle them in ways that glorify God. But they demand the exercising of different sets of faith muscles. Scarcity requires faith muscles for trusting God in a place of needy desperation. Prosperity requires faith muscles for trusting God in a place of bountiful material security.” We can learn from Paul’s letters of instruction and encouragement to the churches that sprung up in the early days of Christianity. God can be trusted to provide for us. But much more, we can still pray expectantly for miraculous healing and life change! Letting go of the timeline of our lives is key to embracing peace and resting in God’s very capable hands. Paul wrote:
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all. Your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NLT
Gratefulness allows us to fight the temptation to want more than God says we need to live a full life. The perspective we gain in following Christ Jesus allows us to be at peace with our current circumstances, no matter how they stack up to what’s going on in the world around us.
Scarcity Is a Trust Issue
“Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” Romans 2:4 NLT
The painful reality of our daily lives is the pain we experience in them. My daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 13. The unfairness washed over her in waves of denial as life as she knew it flipped upside down. Gratefulness for modern medicine and the provision to afford the best technology made it easier, but it didn’t return her life back to the old normal, as she would have preferred. Trusting God, in real-time, is hard. When life doesn’t go our way, is unfair, and at times unbearable …trusting God seems like the opposite of greeting card sentiments. It’s army crawling to Him each day, trusting His love for us is the same as it was before the bad things happened. His love is the same, in fact, as it was before we chose to acknowledge Him, let alone develop our trust muscles.
“The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalm 23:1 NLT
A shepherd knows each sheep, and every one of his animals knows the sound of His voice. Without the shepherd, the sheep panic. Left alone, sheep will find a way to die. Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd because He knows we are sharply akin to sheep. So, He assures us, He will never leave us alone. We can listen for His voice, seek Him, and find Him. He will never leave us or abandon us. He died so we can live to the fullest. Scarcity is rooted in fear. But Jesus told us not to be afraid. “See how the Lord cares for the birds,” He reminded, “how much more does Your Father in heaven care for you?”
Trust in the Lord. Say goodbye to the scarcity outbreak and shove the prosperity gospel where the sun doesn’t shine. God’s relationship with us is organic and constantly growing, as we walk with our Savior daily until we hug Him at home in heaven for eternity. He cares for us immensely. Always, no matter what. Believe Him for the big things He’s capable of bringing to fruition! Seek to see life through the perspective of the One who will never fail us ….and has the whole world in His good and loving hands. That includes you.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Umesh Negi
Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ at megbucher.com. She is the author of “Friends with Everyone, Friendship within the Love of Christ,” “Surface, Unlocking the Gift of Sensitivity,” “Glory Up, The Everyday Pursuit of Praise,” “Home, Finding Our Identity in Christ,” and "Sent, Faith in Motion." Meg earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay home and raise her two daughters …which led her to pursue her writing passion. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the editorial team at Salem Web Network. Meg loves being involved in her community and local church, leads Bible study, and serves as a youth leader for teen girls.