Psalm 146:2 "I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live."

Saturday, December 11, 2010

I Used To Be A "Miser," but Now I am Becoming Wiser

Hi Everyone,

Another thing that really amazes me since God found me this summer and since I have Him my trust is how my mindset has changed about money and possessions.

I used to be the "miser" type that would hold onto everything, living in extreme frugality as sort of this pride thing to show I "could do it." I would always hold on to money because in a way it was kind of like my treasure--like I had to hold on to it for the day I wouldn't have any.

Now I want to make it clear that there is nothing wrong with saving your resources and using wisdom in that, and there is nothing wrong with having to live carefully and not living beyond your means in itself.

It really is an issue of the motives and heart. Lots of times people blame "rich people" for having money or possessions as the "god of their lives." But even in "having little" someone can still have the wrong attitude about it. I ma only saying this because I myself had the wrong attitude.

It really isn't an issue of "having little" or "having much." The true question is "Is what we call "our own" something that we will allow God to use as He want us to, or are we just going to hold it with a "tight fist."

For some people spending beyond their means is a weakness, others, like me had to learn it really was okay to get the things I truly needed--even if it is something that costs and seems like a "huge purchase" to me...as long as it is truly going to be useful and needed and even sometimes something to be enjoyed. The Bible tells us that "where our treasure is, there our heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21, Lukw 12:34)

I used to be a miser, but now I am becoming wiser and it isn't about buying more stuff for myself, although on occasion I do buy something for fun to enjoy. It is now about having my resources whether that be the post it notes on my desk or what I have in the checking account available for the Lord to use for His glory and furthering of His Kingdom.

When your GREATEST TREASURE BECOMES CHRIST HIMSELF instead of your greatest treasure being the things you "own," your main desire becomes to serve the Lord and use all that you have for His plans and purposes.....and you are generous to others because HE is the giver and Sustainer of all things....and everything we are able to give is only what He Himself has already given to us!

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