Picture two people standing in their driveways on the same Saturday. Both just bought a truck. The first one can hardly enjoy it. He keeps checking for scratches, worrying about the payment, and glancing at the neighbor's bigger one. The second one thanks God for it, hands the keys to a friend who needs a ride, and sleeps fine that night.
Same truck. Very different grip.
This picture brings to forefront the questions a lot of believers quietly carry: Is it okay to be blessed? Does God want me to have nice things, or is anything past the bare minimum a spiritual trap?
Start with what Scripture actually says. David wrote, "The Lord hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant" (Psalm 35:27). Moses told Israel, "It is God who gives the power to get wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:18). And Paul told Timothy, "God giveth us richly all things to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17).
So you are not less spiritual because you have a decent home, a steady paycheck, investments, business ventures, or a savings account. God is not against your success, and it pleases Him to see His children do well. If you have been carrying guilt over a good season, allow God and His word to reshape the eay you think and begin to enjoy living in the blessings.
Now read the rest of that sentence in 1 Timothy. Paul tells Timothy to charge the rich not to be high minded and not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God. The warning was never about having. It was about trusting, bragging, and clinging.
Think about the young man who ran up to Jesus in Mark chapter 10. He kept the commandments and sincerely wanted eternal life. Mark says Jesus looked at him and loved him. Then Jesus put His finger on the one thing holding him, and the man walked away sad, "for he had great possessions." Read that carefully. The text does not say he owned great possessions. It says he had them in a way that they had him.
It is fine to possess wealth. Just do not let your wealth possess you.
In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about where we store our treasure. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). A few lines later He puts it bluntly: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24).
Notice what comes immediately after that. Jesus turns straight to worry, telling us not to fret over food and clothing. That is not an accident. Money and anxiety travel together. For more about this read my blog on what Jesus says about worry Luke reminds us that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15).
You can tell who owns whom with a few honest questions.
A heart that has practiced saying thanks has a much harder time being ruled by wanting more. For more on how to choose thankfulness before you ever feel it click on the link.
Dr. Vorce reminds us: you can tell where someone's heart is by looking at their generosity. Kingdom giving goes well beyond the offering plate. It looks like helping a struggling neighbor, a friend between jobs, or a family member who keeps falling behind. When you open your hand, you loosen the grip, and the "things" you are blessed with go back to being tools instead of masters.
If you want to see how Jesus handles character, money, prayer, and worry all in one sitting, you can order the book Lessons From the Mountain and study the Sermon on the Mount with Dr. Vorce.
Pick one thing you own that has been taking more of your attention than it deserves. Thank God for it out loud. Then find a way to use it for someone else, whether that is lending it, giving it, or simply making it available. Watch what happens to your grip.
If you want to keep growing in God's presence and not just His provision, get your free copy of the Presence Driven ebook at jonathanvorce.com.
Remember..."The Word Will Work, If You Work the Word."
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