“The person who leans on, trusts in, and is confident in their own riches will Fall, BUT those who Trust in God’s Provisions WILL FLOURISH like a green leaf.”
~Proverbs 11:28
So, there’s a reason why no one likes to talk about money. It’s hard to get, hard to earn, and hard to keep. Why? Because there never seems to be enough of it. Right? Guess what. The richest person in the world says the same thing. How is that possible? How can the richest and the poorest person on Earth say the same thing about money? They have something in common. They want something money can’t give them at any given moment of the day: confidence that it will always be there. One individual has more than enough money, and the other hardly does. Yet, neither will find life satisfaction if they don’t have the right motivations regarding it.
So, what do you do when even the richest person on Earth can’t guarantee themself happiness based on what he or she has?
You look elsewhere…and all will be GIVEN TO YOU.
Confused yet?
Good. Let’s begin.
I have an ex-husband who is my diametric opposite in every respect: money, outlook, values, and love. He swears that if he just throws money at it, he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants, and to whomever he wants. Yet, the man always finds himself playing catch-up to the ex-wife, who seems to have money when she needs it, love when she’s not expecting it, and the best timing in the world. He can’t figure it out. He makes way more than me, owns more than me, and knows more influential people. He’s got everything he wants and needs. Right?
Wrong. Very wrong. Very, very wrong.
Guess what my ex is missing that so many, who follow in his footsteps are
missing, too: God’s Favor! Don’t get me wrong. He believes in God. But He’s not drawing from God’s favor. He’s drawing from his own capabilities, and it’s crushing his future. The worst part is, he has no idea. As long as he has his money, he’s alright. Right? I’d hate to see what happens when it’s gone.
Want to know what it means to have God's Favor over your life? Pay attention! This is an actual thing! It means that no matter what you say, do, or think in life, God wraps a hedge protection around you. As long as you at least try to follow his directions and allow Him to guide you, He'll do it. He'll make sure that whatever happens to you always works for your good in the beginning, middle, and end (Romans 8:28). Think of it as the ULTIMATE insurance policy. When things are going right, God makes them better. When things are going wrong (and you know they will, sometimes), God finds a way to fix it all. You have to believe He will, though, or that part won't work. If you're hoping and dreaming for something, God reminds you that He's the one who put that dream in you in the first place. So, He's gonna DEFINITLEY make sure it works out in your favor. THAT'S what it means to have God's Favor. It's a beautiful thing!
Don't ya think?!
The very first scripture I placed at the top is a quintessential lesson in life.
Money truly DOESN’T buy you happiness or guarantees. If you depend on it for the wrong reasons, it gets you quite the opposite.
Our dreams (a home, children, a career, basic necessities, life’s little luxuries, life’s BIG luxuries, freedom to do what we want and when we want) require money. But if you’re missing the point of money, you’ll constantly seek it and never reach your goals. Money is an object. God controls it, like He does everything else. He does not want you poor and destitute. Actually, He wants you to have plenty of money and enjoy it in abundance! Proverbs 10:22 says, "The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it." But God DOES NOT want you to make money your god. You’re supposed to depend on Him for everything…even money. Unfortunately, you can subconsciously make anyone or anything your god, including yourself and your money! Since money can’t buy you happiness, it’s not a good idea to make it your god.
“Who says I’m making money my god, Brown Girl? You don’t know me or my life.”
“Hmm, it’s not your god, huh? You're sure about that? If you lost your job this afternoon, got divorced tomorrow, and then a recession hit soon after that, what would your next move be?”
"I don’t know. Get on unemployment, move in with my mom, crash on a friend’s couch, or ride my savings till I found another job, I guess.”
“Right. If none of that panned out, then what? How many mornings would you wake up smiling after the last unemployment check ran out? What if your friends abandoned you because you couldn’t foot the bill anymore? What if your mom died 6 months after you moved back in, and you couldn’t afford to keep the house? Then what?”
“Uhh, I don’t know. I guess I’d figure something out.”
“Right. So, I ask you again, how many mornings would you wake up happy if all of that happened? Would you have a reason to…over and over again? And what if your ex tried to outspend you for your child’s love in the midst of all of that?
Then what?”
“Uhhh…”
Exactly, folks! All of that happened to me. And yet, I rise. I have sunshine every morning, even when it rains (total metaphor)! Wanna know how? God promises me:
“Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes every morning.”
~Psalms 30:5
“You will NOT have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand FIRM and see the deliverance the Lord WILL give you (if you believe). DO NOT be afraid. DO NOT be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow,
and the LORD will be with you.”
~2 Chronicles 20:17
“God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
~Psalms 147:3
“DO NOT love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God said, ‘I will NEVER fail you. I will NEVER abandon you.”
~Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)
He wants you to seek Him out for help with anything, so that you’re guaranteed answers and protection over everything. That’s what it means to have “God’s favor” over your life. He places a hedge of protection around you at ALL times, no matter what happens (Psalms 23). So, if the bottom falls out, He’ll get you thru the worst of it. And then, He has the nerve to make you stronger because of it! AND THEN, He’ll replace everything you lost, and promises you double for your trouble (Isaiah 61:7). All because you depended on Him, and not your circumstances to get you thru! (Wow, makes you wonder if He let you go thru all of that just so He could bless you more later. Hmm...)
Money can’t do all of that. You can’t do all of that. Your parents can’t do it, and your friends can’t do it for you either. If you depend on money for happiness, answers, and protection above the God who controls it all, guess what He’ll do. He’ll have people who actually depend on Him—and who have far less money than you— be happier than you, outpace you, out-smile you, have better marriages than you, happier children than you, happier homes than you, and happier jobs than you, just to teach you a lesson.
Why? Because He wants to show you that money, and depending on it for everything, doesn’t get you happiness. He does. And only He can. If you don’t believe in God or talk to Him much, that doesn’t make it untrue. It just means you’re living at a very distinct disadvantage, where the truth is out there, but you’re oblivious to its power…on purpose! Why are you doing that to yourself…because the alternative is hard? Weird? Not your style? Not your belief? Takes too much out of your control? (Oooh, that's a good one.)
God understood way before you were born that one day you would be faced with a conundrum. Do you give up the way you’ve been doing things for so long—that’s comfortable and familiar—in order to try it His way? Or do you keep doing what you’ve been doing, hoping things will finally pan out?
So, He came up with a solution:
The Lord says, “Test Me in this, and see if I will not throw open the Floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it. Try Me! Put Me to the test!”
~Malachi 3:10
Wow! Challenge set.
Challenge…accepted?
Now, before you answer, remember. God is no fool. Yes, please, put Him to the test. But you have to believe He’ll come thru for you. You actually have to believe IN Him. That’s the whole point of this exercise. Otherwise, you'll be wasting your breath and your time.
And time is money. And money buys all things. Right? Ask my ex. He tries to one-up me with money when it comes to our son’s love. Yet, our son asks me for a new dad and a new life, apart from the rich one his father already gives him.
Folks, if my life isn’t a living testimony of how “the alternative” is THE way to go, I don’t know what else to tell ya. I’ll just refer you back to good ‘ole Malachi above.
So…
The next time you need anything, are confused about anything, wish for something to work out, or just need money to get you thru the night, put God to the test. Ask God to help you. And then one night, when no one’s around to hear you say it out loud, I want you to do something incredible! Ask God to teach you how to depend on Him for what money can and can’t buy. Simply say, “God, help me.” Trust me. He’ll take it from there.
God bless and take care.
~From Brown Girl In The World
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