Last week, for seven days straight I did not spend a PENNY!
I by no means am bragging about this, but it was a lesson that I needed to learn.
While in Kenya this summer, I was able to really learn and value the meaning of a dollar. Since being back in America for 2 months it has been easy to get engulfed into the materialistic society that we live in.
God laid on my heart that I need to be a good steward of my money to honor Him and His Kingdom. Through this, He led me to "fast" from spending any money for one week.
It's so easy to go to the grocery store and spend $80 on groceries for a week.
It's so easy just to go out to dinner and spend $6 or more on a meal, when I can cook 2 or more meals for that price.
It's so easy to forget what the value of a dollar really is.
It's so easy to forget what one US dollar could do for someone living in poverty.
It's so easy to forget how blessed I am to have two jobs that I make minimum wage at.
It's so easy to forget that I need to be a good steward of all that God has given me, especially my money.
I never realized how much I think I need, from eating dinner at a fast food restaurant, to going shopping (when I need nothing). There were a lot of times throughout the last week that I wanted to go do something that would cost money, but then I remembered that it was not necessary.
Honestly, God has blessed me with more than I could ever need with my possessions, home, and friends. There is no need to desire Earthly things when I have a Savior that provides for all of my needs.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. [1 John 2:15-17]
I desire to stand on these verses in 1 John. I desire to live my life pleasing to God while meditating and remembering that I am not of this world [Romans 12:1-2]. To remember that I am not created to be fulfilled with the things that I buy or possess, but the only time I will have complete fulfillment is when I set my eyes and heart on heavenly things [Matthew 6:20]. I need to abandon myself and take up the cross and follow Jesus [Luke 9:23].
Are you being a good steward of your time, your possessions, and your money?
Maybe God is calling you to spend time serving others.
Maybe God is calling you to sell all of your possessions and give them to the poor.
Maybe God is calling you to a week of fasting from spending money.
Pray. I want to encourage you to pray for God to lead you to know what to do with all of these things.
Maybe instead of God calling you to stop spending money, He is calling you to support someone going into missions. As Chandler on Friends would say, "Forget about it," but with a Brandi Wilcox twist I'd say, "Pray about it." 🙂
