GRACE AND MY SUFFICIENCY

For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Back in the day, I thought that perfectly described the intransigence of God...almost spitefulness, as in, if you don't need it, you'll get it, but if you're in need, tough. In my opinion, that was just nuts...who is going to love a God like that? I knew too many people like that, including myself on a bad day.

Actually, it's this and other quotes like it that have been the most helpful to me in learning how to divorce myself from my own opinions. Which I was only able to do by committing myself to accept what I read as truth...to study it until I realized the truth of it.

What I've come to understand is fear of financial insecurity will cause us to hoard what money we have, leaving us feeling and, in fact, appearing to be without funds.

Example: My father, late in his life, became fearful of lack. Fortunately, he had already bought his home, car, etc., so he and Mom never did without, but he did become clutch-fisted...stingy, in a word. The last X number of years of his life, they lived very close to the bone because Daddy would spend nothing on extras. On his death, we discovered not only several CDs, but a large amount of cash in his safe-deposit box! Best punch line: Mom lived high on the hog the rest of her life.

Then, there's my cousin who gives with both hands. One time, he inherited a nice amount of money and his two brothers were left out. He divided the inheritance by three so all would have equal amounts and never thought another thing about it. He just does that sort of thing. He gives with both hands and lives exceedingly well.

Our peace is in coming to believe that God really does know our needs, has already solved our problems. When we pray for anything, we are simply denying that which we already have. Nor is it  productive to constantly say, "I have money," "I have love," "I have any name-able thing," for that is just fear pretending to be faith.

It is only necessary to say, believing, "I have Thy Grace and that is my sufficiency."

Thank You.