Luke 12:22-24
How many of you who are reading this publication; know what it means to carry the weight of worry on yourself? How many of you can identify the weight that has you stressing? Is it your view that you lack the finances to pay your debts on time? Are you worried about not having a job or a low paying job? Are you worried that your clothes are out of style; that your nails and hair need to be professionally done?
For a moment take out some paper with a pen/pencil and write down all the things that you believe is causing you great stress because you don’t think that you will be able to accomplish that task in a timely manner due to the lack of money. After you have done that scratch off what is really a need and what is really a want; you must be honest and know what a need and a want is. I asked you to think about the weights in your life because I have found out that most things that we think we need is really a want and most things that we want we can do without. If you don’t believe me go to the jails/prisons; ask a homeless person. These people go without daily yet all their needs are met. Their central though is to get out into freedom or to ask for the help that is needed to eat. Homeless people will eat food thrown away from others if or when they don’t have the money to buy their food. They can get clothes from a shelter or from out of the trash; they can even get their health needs taken care of; believe it or not their only need from that standpoint is shelter and they can have that if they desire not to sleep on the street. Those in jail or prison get three meals a day; a place to sleep; clothes and health care. Do you see the relationship here? What we need in our day to day life are the following: JESUS; air; clothes; food; shelter and health care. What we want is more things to surround ourselves with that means absolutely nothing to our existence. I’m not writing that having a car; apartment or house that the rent or mortgage is too expensive is wrong. I’m not writing that wanting to have lots of clothes; shoes; getting hair and nails done is wrong. But we must put things into prospective. It’s our wants that turn our world upside down not our need. GOD has already provided our needs and yet we are not satisfied.
Is it possible for you to go on a 6 month fast of not going to the salon for your hair and nails; the clothing and shoe store to make a purchase? Is it possible for you to take all the money that you would have placed on wants put it in the bank with the exception of taking care of the following first? On your payday put your money towards your apartment/house note; insurance for auto; home; health; purchase groceries that you know you will eat and run out of by your next pay day; only if you really need it buy oral and body hygiene products. At the end of the 6 month period exam how much stress and anxiety you experienced. Life is really simple but we make it complex. GOD has provided the oxygen we need; HE has provided the job that you have to pay for your home; the utilities; food and clothes. I watched a woman who I grew up with that was poorer than I; she began working at McDonalds when we were teens. She began having her own family still working at McDonalds now in our 50’s she is still working at McDonalds as a Manager. She provided for her family with the income that she received from her employment; I’m certain that she did not have the luxury of having a lot of this or that but all her needs were being met. I remember when I used to suffer from back aches; headaches; shoulder aches due to worry and anxiety for things that did not matter because I could do nothing about any of it. After giving all my cares over to JESUS I truly felt actual weights lifting off of my back.
At first I thought that I was imagining that but it was true. I learned not to live with all those things that I thought I needed. I learned to let go of all
the nonsense in my life. I learned to stop and breathe; to look around and see what is it that I actually need and what is it that I actually want. I have
arrived at that place in my life that those things that I want now are those things that I truly need to accomplish the goals that are in my dreams and
visions. I don’t worry; I don’t have anxiety attacks and my stress level is minimal. We must daily renew our spirit in The LORD. Trust in GOD for HIS daily
provisions. HE will clothe you by the beauty of HIS creative touch and feed you with HIS Word. Allow HIM to teach you not to be anxious or worry about anything in your life. Give your burdens to HIM become free; seek GOD first knowing that all of these material things GOD will provide.