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Topic: Poor (10/25/04)
TITLE: Trust in God brings great riches By Jennifer Solla 11/01/04 |
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For the last two months I had become so consumed with worry and anxiousness that I had nearly made myself sick. On many occasions, I became so enveloped with fear that I nearly passed out from anxiety. That was when I would pray. Even though it seemed impossible. I would say, "God, I believe your promises are true. I know that you won't let me down."
I knew God's will for our family, but I was blinded by our circumstances. I thought that in order for me to quit, my husband's new sales job would have to miraculously quadruple in business in a matter of weeks. My plan was for him to start making both of our incomes combined in order for me to quit my job. Weeks went by as I was on maternity leave, and I waited, and waited and watched. Nothing happened. I kept thinking that if God didn't come through for us, I could simply return to my job at the end of my maternity leave and my retired mother-in-law could babysit.
But then something else happened. My mother-in-law decided to return to work. Suddenly there was no back up plan and no more options. Except, I could send my son to daycare and have strangers care for him, which would cost me half of my salary since he was so young. Then I could spend about three waking hours with him a day, and somehow find a way to cook dinner, do the laundry and keep a clean house in my spare time. Wow. Some mom's do it. But to me, it seemed impossible.
I didn't know how we would manage if I quit my job. Simple math told us that we would have more monthly expenses then income. Quiting seemed so foolish in the "common sense" line of thinking. But after countless times of prayer and fellowship with the Lord, He made everything abundandly clear. It looked like I really did have just one choice; trust God.
It is really amazing how God works. When he hands out blessings, they are never skimpy. When he blesses, he blesses with abundance! And of course that's what he did for us. Not too long after we made our decision, God moved us from a duplex into a much nicer home on lakefront property, where we paid $200 less per month then before!
This season isn't over for us. We are still trusting God on a daily basis for all of our finanical needs. When the bills arrive in the mail, we pray over each one. We thank the Lord for providing for each and everyone of our needs according to his riches (Philipians 4:19). We praise him and thank him that he gives us the desires of our hearts because we delight ourselves in him (Psalms 37:4).
Just as the world might say that what we did was foolish, they also might say that we are poor. But I tell you that we are rich! Our heavenly Father has unlimited resources and he loves us so much that he will never let us go without. As if that wasn't enough, Our heavenly Father gives us all the things that money can't buy; love, joy, peace and all the fruits of the spirit.