Have it All!

They were the kind of words that clear away fog so heavy we don't know it existed until it was gone.  Ever heard or read those words?  There are times we get so ingrained in an attitude or practice we are no longer aware we're believing or practicing them.  But by the grace of God, something finally comes and shakes us hard enough to clear the fog.

I was reading recently about two approaches we have available to us that determine A TON about how we live, talk, laugh, and worry:

We live with a scarcity mentality, or we live with an attitude of abundance.

I'm guessing many of us are living in world of scarcity, but don't realize it.  I'm sad to say that to some degree, when I first came across the thought, I found I was living more of a life of scarcity than I realized.  I was letting my life be dictated by a practice of holding tight!  Here's what I mean:

While most of take quick glances of our lives, see how busy we are, how much we pour our lives into things, and assume we're living into some sort of abundant, and possibly overwhelming life, we may be living into it with fear, rather than confidence.  

A life of scarcity, no matter how much we give, pour into others, or participate, stands on these grounds:

• The best days have most likely already passed, let's just make the best of the rest.
• Sure, be generous, but don't just go all out.  Otherwise there won't be enough for later.
• Everything bad is likely to happen as soon as tomorrow, in the blink of an eye.  Hold tight today!
• God was so good to us before that we can't just go on asking for more miracles.
• This is wonderful, but I'm bound to hit that wall anytime now.

A life lived upon abundance, however, has these subtle differences:

• The past has been great, but the best days ares surely yet to come.  Things can get better than this!
• I've always had enough, and there's always more coming!  God is limitless.
• Rest when you need to, work when you need to, play when you need to, let God do the rest.
• Things could get tough, but that won't stop me from letting today be great.
• God hasn't really even begun to show His sovereignty; wait until He really starts working!
• The more I give, the more this life, this faith, this world makes sense and means something!

The choice is ours.  Abundance or scarcity?   One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty (Proverbs 11:24).  

More to come!

Jason <><