Abundance mindset, or not? We'll find out...

Weeks ago, I jokingly told my school daughter that I was going to carry the school bag I'm using right now to law school. In my head also, I looked at my school shoes and asked myself, is this what I will be wearing in 500level? I told myself I hoped it would last till then and it would not spoil and I could manage it.

Then this day I was in class, looking at my bag and the Holy Spirit said 'so you really want to carry this bag to law school?' I paused a while, and told Him 'no, I don't'. He was trying to teach me something I didn't see yet. But we humans are too close to the puzzle, never seeing the big picture even if we tried.

After the conversation I realized I had been settling. There's a difference between being content and settling for less. Thenn 'abundance mindset' came to my head but I didn't understand it well nor did I know how to differentiate it from prosperity gospel shenanigan.

Side note: dear Christian, SEEK!

My settling came from a system I grew up in, fear, lack of trust in God. Mark 8:21b 'do you not understand?' after all you've seen and experienced with God, do you still not understand he can provide for you? (For context read Mark 8: 13-21)

I didn't want to share this yet because I had not understood nor internalized it plus I could not tell it apart from prosperity gospel.

I was talking about it on Thursday and I said 'Daddy, I don't know what to write on your blog o'  plus I have not understood the blend of how this is not prosperity gospel and I don't want to preach prosperity gospel cause that's not what the gospel is.

On Friday morning, i went to do my verse of the day and I wasn't feeling it... My spirit wanted to do something else... There's this little thing I have with the Holy Spirit; whenever I need to understand something, He will guide me and explain to me. I realized I had missed the search it's been a while; going to the bible and being directed to read places, and have things pieced together for me. So I left my verse of the day and I told the Holy Spirit there are like 4 things I don't understand yet and You've not explained any yet😭. He said 'have you asked me?' I had no words😐. Then I told Him, you've brought something to my attention that but I don't grab the Koko (the main thing) in it and I don't want to do it wrongly or teach the wrong message. If it's not according to the Bible, I don't want to say it.

I looked at my Bible, it was opened to the book of Proverbs and I looked through it. I remembered I wanted to show my school daughter Proverbs 30:7-9 (NLT)

'O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name'

Agur's (the writer of this proverb) second request, I told my spiritual partner, should be a Christian's prayer. 'give me enough to satisfy my needs' simple. It's not God I want to have millions, it is 'enough to satisfy all my needs'. Not poverty, nor riches but enough to satisfy my needs. I'm not saying there won't be wealthy people, but when you're praying it's not God give me 1 milli it's enough to satisfy myneeds. 

Most of our wants are fleshy; God won't cater to what feeds your flesh. Know this, know peace.

Holy spirit told me, 'this is your verse'. And I'm sitting there like 'ohhhh, now I know what to say'. 

This week I learnt I don't have to settle when I have Jireh who is my provider especially if it's something I need. God excels in providing for our needs. Scriptures emphasizes on what you NEED; the world however is so caught up in selfish wants and what other people have. God is concerned with what you need. 

So yes, I do need new shoes before I enter 500level and a new bag I'll be taking to law school and I will have just that. Because of my Father in heaven.

I thought this was all till Dad sent me to the book of Matthew 6:19-34 for a bird eye view of what Jesus was saying. Our focus however, is going to be from verse 31-34 'what you need'

Matthew 6:19 says 'don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal'

Jesus literally said don't waste your time doing this, instead gather the heavenly treasure.

6:21 'wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be'

Some peoples treasure is money that's why their entire life is centered around wanting to have money and keep chasing money blah yada blah. Nope, your treasure should be heavenly things, that's what you need to chase. Gather stuff up for yourself in heaven. One will pass away, one will not.

I keep telling people what's the point in chasing money up and down when the money will not serve me when I die. I'm not saying I won't have money, I'm saying I won't waste my time thinking about money. Life is not all about money. Besides why chase money when I can chase the one who gives money? Those things don't move me anymore especially with what Pops' been teaching me recently? Naaa I trust Him and it's wisdom. You waste your entire life chasing money and you lose your soul? Not worth it. 

God's not saying don't have money or you'll be poor on earth if you follow me. It's 'i will provide for you, don't worry' God always caters for His. Even if you're poor because people will be, He will still meet your needs.

The Holy Spirit was tryna teach me this, plus how I was hiding behind contentment because I didn't trust God's to provide my needs. 

So I'm not going to worry nor carry a bag that's not worthy of law school with me. Instead I will trust God to keep to His word. We need to ask God to help us focus on what we need not our fleshly wants. Proverbs 30:7-9 says it all; when you have riches, the tendency to forget God is high, astronomical even. Because you get to depend on money and forget the provider of money and idolatry sets in (this is hard to say but, if money will make me forget God, I don't want!) This was not so easy to say and it will be even harder to work out. But God will never leave me alone, that I can count on!

Bible says, 

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

Matthew 6:31‭-‬32 NLT

Jesus is just amazing He said 'these things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers' we need to check ourselves, believer always worrying. Tell God your needs, He will provide, trust Him (I'm telling myself and every other person reading this). He knows all our needs. Yes it may not be easy. But we can always say a prayer of faith especially when it's hard, and you know what's awesome, we can be honest with God tell Him exactly how we're feeling but inspite of that, we still choose to trust in His word. You can say

'Father, it's really hard for me right now. Nothing looks like it's going my way but you said all things work together for the good of those who love you and live according to your purpose, Jesus also said you know all my needs and you will supply for me. Please, help me not to worry but put my trust in you and in your word which never fails thank you Father in Jesus Name I pray, Amen (and if you need comfort, you can throw that in there too)

I love how NLT bible put it...

'and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the kingdom of God your primary concern ' 

Now that's the secret sauce, what is your primary concern? And who do you live for?

All of this is condition based. If you live for God, you don't have to worry about these things. This is a believers assurance. Christian privilege 😌 Because I live for Him, I won't worry about my shoes, bag or anything!

Dear Christian, are you not excited to know you only have to chase one thing fervently and not worry about your needs because God has it handled? It's a big flex if you ask me.

Yes I will need things, yes i will ask God for these things but I won't have to chase after them. They will chase me if I chase God.

My worrying about the bag I'd carry to law school and the shoes I'd be wearing in year 5 resulted out of my lack of faith and frankly, lack of knowledge of what the Word says!

God has a very good track record of providing for our needs. I have friends who live testimonies, I won't be different!😤

Telking my school daughter that I'd carry the bag I had now to law school was laced with an undertone of settling for something that would not be good because I was scared my needs would not be met.

I lied to myself that I didn't need something when in fact I do and the Holy Spirit delivered me and taught me what's proper.

If I need something, God will provide it. Not because I say it, because that's what Jesus said. And how do I know this? I live for God and His Kingdom is my primary concern.

Does this apply to you?

Do you live for God? Is His kingdom your primary concern? These are questions we need to ask ourselves as Christians.

So, boldly go to God trusting Him. He doesn't welch on His promises.

I won't be the richest person on earth but I won't ever lack what I need because God said so and He is ever faithful to His words.

I do know I'm going to have what I need. If I need new shoes, I'd have just that; if I need a new bag, I'd get just that. From that day I said 'no, I will not be wearing the same shoes I have now in 500 level nor will I carry the same bag I have now to law school' (saying it out loud now sounds ridiculous 😭) thank God for deliverance!