Dear friends,
I had an unwelcome visitor the other day. I was having a conversation in the church office and I bumped into thinking there wasn’t enough. There wasn’t enough time, too few resources. It had to do with my bank account. I found I was focused on scarcity thinking! There is a scarcity thinking, says Rachel Isbell (Scarcity vs. Abundance, Jan. 5, 2021). She says that the mindset with which we approach life makes a difference. Scarcity thinking can stem from insecurity that drives us into thinking there is never enough time, resources, achievements. It may be that we’re driven by fear that was trained into us early on. It may be simply a habit to think, “I will never have enough, there won’t be enough.” Scarcity thinking may be why we rush to the next thing, strive for more, and stress over finances. When we have a scarcity mentality:
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we miss out on gratitude. If we never feel like we have enough, then we aren’t exploring thankfulness for what is there.
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We hold back on generosity. As we strain for more, we tighten the grip on what was never ours in the first place.
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We develop a false security. We foster the thinking that if there were enough, we could rest and feel safe. Scarcity thinking: no amount is enough to satisfy the insecurity in our hearts.
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We can strive to create for ourselves rather than trusting God. We try to secure whatever we lack rather than choosing to wait on God to be our provider.
There is an alternative: abundance thinking. It is a posture of satisfaction. It is the sense that we have what we need with some leftover.
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We are at peace, There is less pressure to strive for more.
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We can look for opportunities for generosity. Because we have enough, we have freedom to give from what we have.
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We steward what is given to us with wisdom and health for ourselves and those around us.
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We recognize God’s provision; God knows our needs and meets them. Abundance recognizes the grace of what we have.
I’m kicking that unwelcome visitor out of my head. Getting back to where I started: my bank account balance. I had just paid off a large balance on my credit card, leaving less in the bank. My pantry was stocked due to having been to the grocery store. My rent was paid, my truck gas tank was full. My scarcity thinking came from some numbers being small at the bank. Truth is, I really was going to be fine. It was time to relax in God’s hands. With the Shepherd, I have everything I need (Psalm 23). And here at Plymouth, we will get through, too!
Warmly,
Pastor Peter