Giving, Worry, and God
Worry Much?
How much would you give to God if you were not worried about money?
Can I make a confession, from time to time, I worry about money. I’m guessing I’m not alone in that.
Everyone either is worried, has worried, or will worry about money. Money drives our economy and it is at the center of our lives in so many ways. And the fear of not having money, or not having enough money, that is a driving force in our lives.
According to Statista, they surveyed over 20,000 people worldwide in July 2022… so this was a global survey, and they discovered that the top three things people around the world were worried about were:
- Inflation
- Poverty and Social Inequality
- Unemployment
In September, the Mind over Money survey by Capital One and The Decision Lab found that 77% of Americans report feeling anxious about their financial situation.
The Problem with Worry
We live in a world that is worried about money. So if you are worried, have been worried, or know that one day you will be worried about money, you are not alone.
But have you ever thought about what is at the root of our worry about money?
The problem with worry is that it doesn’t do anything FOR us. Anxiety doesn’t make anything happen FOR us. It only keeps us FROM what God has FOR us.
And just to be clear, I know that many people struggle with worry and anxiety that far exceeds what we would consider the normal human experience. If that describes you or someone you know, I don’t want to make light of that struggle. We’ve got some experience with that in our own family and I hope you know there is help and there is hope for those that experience that particular struggle, and it is a struggle.
Today, what we’re talking about is a worry about money that keeps us from living the abundant life that God has for us. And what I want to suggest is that it might be possible to live in such a way that no matter our financial situation, whether we have much or we have little, that as followers of Jesus we don’t have to worry about money.
What if there is an antidote for worry?
Jesus and Worry
What does Jesus have to say about money and possessions?
Actually, quite a lot! As you read the red letters, the words of Jesus recorded in the gospels, what you discover is that Jesus often taught his disciples about the role of money in our life.
We live in a world that promotes an economy of personal gain and power that is rooted in fear and scarcity. But in God’s economy, the role of money has a role to play, but is not an end in and of itself. And when we place money in its proper place as a tool to be used, as something to be shared, to serve others in faith, trusting in the abundance of God to provide for all our needs, something changes.
Listen to what Jesus says in Luke 12.22-34:
Let’s begin by just reading what
22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.
In other words, the abundant life Jesus offers his disciples is about more than food and clothing.
24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!
Ravens by the way are scavengers. Yet God makes sure they have everything they need for life. Jesus says, if God provides for them, don’t you think he’ll take care of you?
And then Jesus says,
25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
What has worry ever done FOR you? What has worry ADDED to your life? In God’s economy, worry is a taker not a giver. Worry is a device used by our enemy. Our enemy convinces us to worry about things we can’t control in an effort to take control so we can protect ourselves, provide for ourselves, and feel safe.
But worry can’t do any of that and our enemy knows it. So what’s the antidote for worry?
The Antidote for Worry: Faith
Jesus says,
27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
There it is, Jesus just hinted at the answer to the question, What’s the antidote for worry. It has something to do with faith. But let’s keep reading. Jesus continues…
29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things DOMINATE the THOUGHTS of UNBELIEVERS all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs.
TIMEOUT
Did you hear what Jesus just said?
Worry DOMINATES the THOUGHT LIFE of the UNBELIEVER.
That statement from Jesus should give us PAUSE.
Does worry about money dominate your thought life?
Here’s what’s interesting, you can be poor by the worlds standards and yet NOT dominated with worry about money and you can be filthy rich by the world’s standards and be completely dominated with worry about money. In fact, that’s probably the way it is most of the time.
It’s not just people who don’t have money or don’t think they have enough money who are dominated with worry about money. More often than not it’s those who have money who wake up every day worried about their money.
The lie we’ve been sold is that if you have more money you’ll be free. Free from what? Free from worrying about having enough money. But it’s just not true. Some of the richest people in the world are some of the most unhappy, stressed out, worried, anxious, and depressed people you’ll ever know.
Why?
Because they are being dominated by worry. Because they’ve fallen squarely into the trap of the enemy. Don’t be fooled by the big house and the nice car, they are slaves to fear and worry.
And then you meet someone who doesn’t even know where their next meal is coming from and they couldn’t be happier. Why? Because they are free.
We think that the accumulation of more wealth is vital to our happiness, but what if it’s actually an obstacle to finding true Joy?
Releasing Your Cows
There’s an old story about a group of monks who had just finished eating lunch when a farmer came by who was visibly upset. They asked him what was wrong and he answered, “Have you seen my cows?”
The old monk who was the teacher of the group responded, “No, we haven’t seen ay cows.”
The farmer said, “I am the most miserable person on Earth. For some reason, my twelve cows all ran away this morning. I have only two acres of sesame seed plants and this year the insects ate them all.” The farmer was really suffering because of all he had lost.
The older monk looked at the farmer with compassion and said, “Sir, we haven’t seen your cows. Maybe you should look for them elsewhere.”
When the farmer was gone, he turned to the younger monks sitting with him and said, “Dear friends, do you know that you are the happiest people on Earth? You don’t have any cows to lose.”
We think that what we have brings us joy, but more often than not it is the source of our worry and fear.
But if we can learn the art of releasing our cows, of letting go of what we have so that it no longer has control over us, so that it no longer dominates our thought life, what we may find is the abundant life Jesus promised.
The Antidote for Worry: Letting Go
Therein lies another secret to the antidote for worry. It has something to do with faith, something to do with letting go, and something to do with striving. Except, our striving shouldn’t be for more of what this world has to offer. Jesus said we should strive, or seek, something different.
Jesus continues his teaching to his disciples with these words…
31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
The Antidote for Worry: Seeking
What king and what kingdom to you seek above all else?
The kingdom you serve reveals the king of your heart.
More often than not the temptation we face as followers of Jesus because of where we live and the prosperity we enjoy is precisely this… making Jesus the King of our hearts and seeking His Kingdom above all else.
But seeking our own kingdoms and building our own kingdoms and trying to be the kings and queens of our own little worlds leads to nothing but stress, worry, anxiety, and fear.
The answer to worry, the antidote for the worries so many of us face is faith. The answer is found in letting go. It’s counter intuitive and it is certainly counter cultural but the antidote for worry is found not in striving for more but in seeking the Kingdom of God above all else.
What’s happened for so many of us including myself at times is that we’ve made money a king that we serve, an idol we worship. And you might want to disagree with that but worship happens when our hearts and lives revolve around something other than ourselves and for so many people what their hearts and lives actually revolve around, what we spend more of our time working for, seeking, striving for, and thinking about has something to do with the accumulation of more money.
But as followers of Jesus we find a different way forward. A path that leads to true joy.
God’s Economy
You see, in God’s economy, the role of money has a role to play, but is not an end in and of itself. And when we place money in its proper place as a tool to be used, as something to be shared, to serve others in faith, trusting in the abundance of God to provide for all our needs, something changes.
Money loses its power over us as we make Jesus the King of our hearts and everything, including our money and possessions, falls under His lordship of our lives.
And as we give in faith, as we let go and trust in the abundance of God, we place Jesus on the throne of our hearts and everything in our lives us yielded in service to His Kingdom.
When we give we declare WHO is King and who is NOT.
When we give we demonstrate that money has a role to play in our lives but the pursuit of money is not the role of our lives.
Before Jesus gave us this teaching about money and possessions, he said this in verse 21: “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
I’ve been a fool for a long time trying as hard as I can to accumulate as much earthly wealth as I can. Freedom and life and joy are found when we give and live generously, when we depend on God and God alone for everything we need, and when we make Jesus the King of our heart.
What if we trusted God so much that we didn’t have to worry about money?
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