Money Mindset: Scarcity or Abundance?
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. ~ Matthew 6:24
How we think about money is a directly related to what we believe about God. Who knew currency and theology were so intertwined? Is it possible that we are unknowingly engaging in idolatry? If so, there's good news – and growth – in our future!
Perhaps it seems like life revolves around money. From all appearances, it does. It takes money to:
Society, culture, family – even government – teaches us the value of money from an early age (what the Bible calls "earthly wisdom"). With it, you're "successful"; without it, you're poor. Money buys things, experiences, votes, favors. People (maybe you and I) think it buys security and safety.
We're drowning in a sea of misinformation and false beliefs regarding money. In the ocean of life, we've had to use money as a tool to get what we needed (exchange). But we started going down the first time when we began emotionally depending on money. The second time, we were striving for more buying power (shift in focus). The third and final struggle, we were clinging to the belief that money was our source of security and happiness (full-blown idolatry).
It doesn't take long for temptation to become struggle to become addiction. The pattern is the same, no matter the desire, and is as old as the Eden incident. The very moment our focus shifts away from God and His abundance toward how we are going to solve a money issue, we enter a scarcity mindset.
"Scarcity Mindset" – What Is It?
Remember the narrative from Genesis 3, when the enemy persuaded Eve that she didn't have enough? She craved what she didn't have. Or the time in Exodus 16 when God's people complained (directly after their deliverance from slavery) that they didn't have the kind of food they wanted, and yet God sent food from Heaven itself? Or maybe you remember someone in your lifetime who lived through America's Great Depression and suffered deprivation, so afterward they saved everything from plastic margarine tubs to worn-out clothing. These are just a few examples of what scarcity mindset looks like, but here are some more subtle indicators:
Do any of these resonate with you? Do any of them leave you scratching your head? That's simply an indication of the influence of prevailing "world system" ideology (again, "earthly wisdom").
Scarcity mindset reflects our fear and feeds our pride.
We need a new mindset! What is it like to have "wisdom from above"?
God's Way: The Abundance Mindset
God is at the center of His own economy. He is the source of all good things, including provision for our earthly needs. Consider these truths:
The enemy wants you to believe that you are the source, that you are the determiner of your destiny, that you are in charge of outcomes. I don't care how responsible you think you are – you're simply not powerful enough to determine failure or success. Maybe that fact is a relief and comfort to you, or maybe it's disturbing because your self-reliance is all you have to cling to.
What Does This Have To Do With Our Theology?
If we really believe God is good, loving, protective, and providing, should we be striving to get control of the money situation? Are we needlessly suffering from depression and/or anxiety because of our own misplaced security in money or things? Ouch! I think that hit all of us.
What if, just what if God is using our "scarcity mindset" to get us to a place where we cry out to Him in our need? What if He's standing there ready to pour us out a blessing the moment we admit our inability to do it ourselves? What if He's drawing us into closer relationship to Him by offering to exchange our heavy burden for His light yoke? And what if He's using a time of uncertainty to grow our faith?
What About My Budget?
Don't get me wrong. A budget is a good thing, a responsible thing. But just as a plan is worth nothing, while planning is everything, a budget is a moving target. The value of money increases or decreases overnight (remember the stock market crash of 1929 or 2008?). Emergencies happen, wiping all reserves.
A budget can serve to track money flow and avoid unnecessary expenditures, but it's important to consider your monetary motivations and line them up with the truth that God is the source, not us, so we need to defer to Him in all our money matters.
Do you find yourself depending on money instead of the Source of money to meet your needs?
Do you experience anxiety when your economics are threatened?
How many times a day do you think about money?
The Antidote
How do we break away from a scarcity (fearful) mindset and practice abundance? Once we embrace truth (operative words: "repent and believe"), we can begin to reflect God's character.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:20-21
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©2023 Julianne Knapp. First published 4.25.23
How we think about money is a directly related to what we believe about God. Who knew currency and theology were so intertwined? Is it possible that we are unknowingly engaging in idolatry? If so, there's good news – and growth – in our future!
Perhaps it seems like life revolves around money. From all appearances, it does. It takes money to:
- pay the rent/mortgage
- buy a vehicle
- buy food
- get an education
- buy clothing
- get gas
- build a retirement fund
Society, culture, family – even government – teaches us the value of money from an early age (what the Bible calls "earthly wisdom"). With it, you're "successful"; without it, you're poor. Money buys things, experiences, votes, favors. People (maybe you and I) think it buys security and safety.
We're drowning in a sea of misinformation and false beliefs regarding money. In the ocean of life, we've had to use money as a tool to get what we needed (exchange). But we started going down the first time when we began emotionally depending on money. The second time, we were striving for more buying power (shift in focus). The third and final struggle, we were clinging to the belief that money was our source of security and happiness (full-blown idolatry).
It doesn't take long for temptation to become struggle to become addiction. The pattern is the same, no matter the desire, and is as old as the Eden incident. The very moment our focus shifts away from God and His abundance toward how we are going to solve a money issue, we enter a scarcity mindset.
"Scarcity Mindset" – What Is It?
Remember the narrative from Genesis 3, when the enemy persuaded Eve that she didn't have enough? She craved what she didn't have. Or the time in Exodus 16 when God's people complained (directly after their deliverance from slavery) that they didn't have the kind of food they wanted, and yet God sent food from Heaven itself? Or maybe you remember someone in your lifetime who lived through America's Great Depression and suffered deprivation, so afterward they saved everything from plastic margarine tubs to worn-out clothing. These are just a few examples of what scarcity mindset looks like, but here are some more subtle indicators:
- belief that our value is based on what we earn
- believe that we're going to lose out if we don't try hard enough
- belief that what we earn is providing our needs
- belief that we must hang onto what we have because we need it
- belief that there won't be enough to go around
- belief that our savings gives us a secure future
- belief that we alone are responsible for our economics, the result being that we take both credit and blame
Do any of these resonate with you? Do any of them leave you scratching your head? That's simply an indication of the influence of prevailing "world system" ideology (again, "earthly wisdom").
Scarcity mindset reflects our fear and feeds our pride.
We need a new mindset! What is it like to have "wisdom from above"?
God's Way: The Abundance Mindset
God is at the center of His own economy. He is the source of all good things, including provision for our earthly needs. Consider these truths:
- God values even the smallest of animals, so how much, much more He values YOU!
- Your value is so great, God gave the ultimate sacrifice for you, and continues to freely give you all that you have
- God gives you all you need
- God will not withhold any good thing from you
- God's grace is abundant and sufficient to help you in all good things
- Jesus' purpose in coming was to give you abundant life
- God intends good things for you
- because God is eternal, He has a never-ending, un-depletable supply of everything
- because God is your Source, you have access to His abundance!
The enemy wants you to believe that you are the source, that you are the determiner of your destiny, that you are in charge of outcomes. I don't care how responsible you think you are – you're simply not powerful enough to determine failure or success. Maybe that fact is a relief and comfort to you, or maybe it's disturbing because your self-reliance is all you have to cling to.
What Does This Have To Do With Our Theology?
If we really believe God is good, loving, protective, and providing, should we be striving to get control of the money situation? Are we needlessly suffering from depression and/or anxiety because of our own misplaced security in money or things? Ouch! I think that hit all of us.
What if, just what if God is using our "scarcity mindset" to get us to a place where we cry out to Him in our need? What if He's standing there ready to pour us out a blessing the moment we admit our inability to do it ourselves? What if He's drawing us into closer relationship to Him by offering to exchange our heavy burden for His light yoke? And what if He's using a time of uncertainty to grow our faith?
What About My Budget?
Don't get me wrong. A budget is a good thing, a responsible thing. But just as a plan is worth nothing, while planning is everything, a budget is a moving target. The value of money increases or decreases overnight (remember the stock market crash of 1929 or 2008?). Emergencies happen, wiping all reserves.
A budget can serve to track money flow and avoid unnecessary expenditures, but it's important to consider your monetary motivations and line them up with the truth that God is the source, not us, so we need to defer to Him in all our money matters.
Do you find yourself depending on money instead of the Source of money to meet your needs?
Do you experience anxiety when your economics are threatened?
How many times a day do you think about money?
The Antidote
How do we break away from a scarcity (fearful) mindset and practice abundance? Once we embrace truth (operative words: "repent and believe"), we can begin to reflect God's character.
- Get good at giving and sharing. Luke 6:38. There's more where that came from!
- Be realistic about your "needs" James 4:1-10
- Remember a time before when God specifically answered your prayer and met a need.
- Learn humility. It's not all about you.
- Your need is an opportunity for God to be glorified in supplying it.
- Practice gratefulness 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
- Shift your focus to kingdom priorities Matthew 6:33. Then watch all of your needs get met.
- Ask. Speak your needs. Phillipians 4:6
- Commit to believe in God's abundant supply Philippians 4:19
- Learn contentment 1 Timothy 6:6-11.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:20-21
Click HERE to get free weekly articles in your inbox. Your info will never be shared.
©2023 Julianne Knapp. First published 4.25.23