THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN IN LACK
“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. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:12-13
In life we often find ourselves facing times of need and lack and also times of abundance and plenty. Specially during the times of Covid lockdowns we do have waves of plenty and Lack buffeting our ship as we sail through life. In this blog I want us to explore some of the things we should keep in mind during our times of lack.
The Bible is a treasure trove of experiences from the lives of human beings who lived their lives serving an unseen, all powerful God. Though years of gone and the world has changed so much we can still learn a lot from their lives which we can apply in our lives even today as we continue to serve an unseen, all powerful God of the Bible. So that we too don’t have to learn things the hard way. It’s good to know that our Patriarchs had their own moments of glory and gloom in their lives. The Bible is faithful to record their failures and victories so it gives us hope that we too can cross over to living a life of victory in our earthly sojourn.
Let us see from Abrahams life some things we can keep in mind when we are in lack.
Because I will have to cover a lot of ground and to keep your reading time less I will deal with lack now and abundance God willing in the next blog.
Abraham better known as the Father of Faith had some moments of lack and abundance in his life. He did have his fair share of failures but as you trace his journey you can find him grow in faith and come to a place where he could blindly trust God and be called the Father of Faith and find his place in the Hall of faith that we read in Hebrews 11.
I want to encourage you to keep getting better at trusting God. Yes we may also have our moments of not being able to trust God in difficult times but that doesn’t mean we cannot grow in trusting him as we learn to walk with Him in the journey of life.
In Genesis 12:10 we read “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.”
We see here Abraham who was called by God into a journey of Faith by moving out of the comfort of his home town and fathers house is suddenly faced with lack.
I’m sure he might have had a lot of doubts in his mind when he faced a famine in the place he thought he had heard God that he should move to. He could have these questions
Did I really hear God? If God had really spoken to me then I could only be blessed and have no lack but now why do I face famine? Should I even trust God’s voice that I think i keep hearing ever again in my life?
Now we see that he does not ask God if he can go to Egypt. He does not hear God directing him. But he moved to Egypt to find provision and help on his own behest.
But when he moved there for human provision he also thought that he has to protect himself and probably will not be eligible for divine protection. So the next mistake he does is He asks his wife to say a partial lie with some justification that she is his sister.
When we move out of divine provision we feel we loose out on divine protection.
One sin leads to another, so the next sin enters, now a King asks for his wife and so easily he gives up on his one true possession for the earthly provision that he needed. He let his wife be taken away. ( can’t wrap my mind around the thought that it was so easy to give up his wife to another man just so that he is provided for in his time of need). Even today you may know if people around you who are ready to let go of you to meet their needs so easily.
If you notice one sin leads to another.. He is letting sin enter his life. His wife is not with him. Actually he is loosing out on so much. The same way when we are in lack we should check out what we are loosing in return for what the world can offer.
Are we compromising on our walk with god to satisfy our worldly needs?
Are we lying to maintain our provisions?
Are we giving up on relationships to meet our lack?
Let’s keep these things in mind as we go through a lull.
Where do we turn to for our provision?
Where do we turn to for our protection?
What do we value as our prized possession?
To meet our lack. But in all this God was still with Abraham.
God was providing for him, we read “He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.”
Genesis 12:16 NIV
God was divinely protecting Abraham inspite of him thinking that he can protect himself. God sent diseases to Pharoh and protected Sarah “But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai.”
Genesis 12:17 NIV
God did not allow Abraham to loose his prized possession. Even though Abraham did not value his wife enough not to give her to Pharaoh. God did not allow even a finger to be laid on her. “Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!””
Genesis 12:19 NIV
That my friend is the God of Abraham the one we serve. Who is worthy of all glory and honour. He is faithful even though we are unfaithful.
Now we read , “Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.”
Genesis 12:20 NIV
Once again Abraham’s life was re directed to go on his way that was directed by God but he took with him the male and female servants from Egypt. One of the slave from Egypt was with him by the name Hagar. “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar;”
Genesis 16:1 NIV
The Provision he brought from Egypt almost derailed his destiny because of which the children of Abraham still face generational repercussions and consequences.
Today let us also be careful where we turn to in our times of need. May be we will get the provision that we need but that very same provision can turn disastrous in the long run.
What are you lacking today? Is it the Love of your life? Is it money that you need to pay your debts? Is it a feeling of belongingness that you crave for? Is it recognition or a sense of accomplishment? You can either find it in the world or in Jesus the one who formed you in your mother’s womb.
When in Lack. Don’t turn to the world. Seek God for provision
When in Lack. Don’t sin by lying. Seek God for protection.
When in Lack. Don’t loose out on valuable Possessions. Seek God to help you value the relationships as your treasured possessions rather than what the world offers.
Finally make sure that the provisions that you receive during the time of your detour from God’s plan does not derail your divine destiny.
I hope and Pray that this word rings a bell in your heart and turn you to seek God before taking major decisions of changing location or jobs during your time of lack.
Next time I will meet you with some things to keep in mind when in abundance. Until then happy pondering.
In His Service
Jemimah Amirtharaj
