In our society, we are tempted to think that money is the solution to far too many of our problems. I remember as a student, then for several years after, I struggled to meet my most basic needs. I remember thinking that if I only made this much money, then all of my needs would be met. Well, now I make that amount of money and the demands on my resources have grown as well. Some of this is due to increasing responsibility. Others are because of other life changes (I am now in seminary). Still other demands on my earnings are simply due to poor decisions.
Lately, I have been trying to learn the discipline of putting my needs before God. Instead of saying to myself, "if only I had the money I could do such and such," I am trying to put my needs first before God to see how he may want to address the situation. In many ways, he was supplied true needs in other ways than a shopping trip. Other times, he has not. I have often found that if I wait on God, things have a way of coming my way. I even was once sold a perfectly good car for $20, when my older car was nearing its end.
I still occasionally make bad decisions, but I am learning. I am also beginning to feel less stressed by those unexpected needs that seem to catch us by surprise. This is not an excuse to use God as our cosmic sugar daddy. It is, however taking true needs and desires before the God of the universe trusting that he is generous God who is genuinely concerned with our well-being.
