Let's uncover a dangerous myth of regarding financial prosperity when God's on our side!
Many years ago I had the opportunity to talk with a christian friend of mine about finances. Life seemed to be going well for him (judging from a possessions / material standpoint); he had the right car, right house, right clothes, right watch, he literally seemed to have everything one could ever hope for while living on this planet. Considering that he was a christian and that he seemed to be very connected to God, I reached my own personal conclusion as to his status: "he's doing great because he has been faithful to God". At the moment, that seemed to be the right and fairly obvious conclusion.
As christian protestant churches multiply and as I hear Pastors and sermons, sometimes from different denominations, I've witnessed first hand how many, like me once upon a time, make the correlation: serving God = financial prosperity. I've even heard people saying to others who are passing through difficult financial times: "you're not doing better because you're not honoring God". It almost seems like, in the minds of many, there's a direct correlation between 'honoring God' and financial prosperity. The question is, is there such a correlation? Could it be that the better of a christian I am, the more financial success I can achieve? At some point in my life the conclusion that I had arrived once didn't made sense to me anymore. Something was off and, like myself once, I noticed that many seem to get confused as to what God truly means when He says that we'll be 'blessed' when we honor Him. Without much hesitation, I went and found the answers I needed... from the Bible.
God, Bible and Blessings
There's just too many verses to keep track off but, I have to admit, it seems "obvious" to trace a direct correlation between honoring God and prospering financially. From a first glance, and all throughout the Old Testament we find men who honored God and became very wealthy: Joseph, Abraham, Solomon, David, Jacob, Job... etc... so just by judging those particular cases, one might be inclined to believe that honoring God is synonymous of financial prosperity. After all, the Bible does say:
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." - Psalms 1:1-3
In verses just like this one, and other versicles throughout, the Bible makes it clear that God blesses His people, that God wants 'prosperity' for them. Despite this, however, and just by taking a look around the world and the current status of the christian community in general, I think it is quite noticeable the fact that there are many good christians that aren't really wealthy... not even close. So, what went wrong? The answer we look for we find in the book of 2 Corinthians:
"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." - 2 Corinthians 9:8
The text is clear, God will provide us with all that we NEED. Furthermore, when looking at the context and section where we find the verse, we note that Paul is talking about the cheerful giver and how important it is for us to share our blessings with the less fortunate. So God will prosper us, will gives us blessings with two purposes: (1) so that have the things that we NEED, and (2) so that we can have enough to share with others our blessings.
Clear as the day... right?
Understanding God's Blessings
Remember the friend I was talking about at the beginning of this post? Well, years later we got to talk again and, long story short, I came to find out that most the possessions he had he had sold them and sort of began living a minimalistic lifestyle. Why? Well, he confessed that even though everyone thought that he was doing great, behind the scenes he was actually drowning in stress and debts. He lived a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle. Always worrying about whether he'd be able to make his payments in time. Adding and subtracting items prices in the grocery store so he wouldn't exceed his budget. Does this scenario sounds like the blessing of God?
"The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it."- Proverbs 10:22
The verse is clear, when God gives us blessings, He makes sure they come without any stress or headaches attached to them. So why am I saying this? Well, because as we mentioned, many christians seemed to get confused about what God's blessing truly is and then go buy luxuries they can't afford, unnecessary things, and even incur massive credit card and loan debts because "God will provide". Then, we see the same individuals drowning in debt and stress and without a viable 'escape route' from the financial mess they got themselves into. This, without a doubt, is not how God's blessings work.
"The foolishness of a man twists his way, and his heart frets against the Lord."- Proverbs 19:3
In other words, man gets himself into trouble and then blames God for it. If there's something I want you to take from this, which we're briefly discussing and there's much to say about it, is that God wants you to have your NEEDS met and enough extra for you to SHARE with others what He has given you. Everything else, luxuries, expensive cars, massive houses, the latest technological devices... is on you. Don't expect God to "bless" you so you can go and afford the latest and greatest. Share, give, donate... giving is always better than receiving.
How did Jesus lived?
The best and greatest example of how we as christians are to live is Jesus' example. We should not be looking at the patriarchs of the Old Testament entrusted with being fathers to nations to visualize how our blessings might look like, we should take our example from the life of Jesus or even the disciples and the apostle Paul... humble and God-seeking men. They didn't lived a glamorous life or a life of wealth. Jesus once even said:
"And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.'" - Matthew 8:20
Paul also said:
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." - Philippians 4:12
When studying the life of Jesus, of the disciples, or the apostles we begin to see a trend... God's blessings come in all sort of different shapes and forms, that they always come in the perfect moment and they definitely not always involve a financial reward. No matter how they come, God always knows best and there's a reason and a timing to his blessings. As christians we should not be focused in accumulating earthly gains or possessions, we know all of this will one day come to an end. The Bible says:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy,and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21
Closing
Friend, God wants you to have your needs covered, and he wants you to focus on His kingdom to come and in how to share what you know about God with others. God's not interested in you becoming rich and wealthy (but if you do, amen!!! - just remember to share and give to those less fortunate. God blessed you, be a blessing to others), but he IS very interested in YOU. He's interested in fulfilling His purpose for your life. I'd like to close this topic with one of my favorite portions of the Bible:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."- Matthew 6:25-34
Until next one friend!
Comments