Cut Me Some Lack
"Fear the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”- Psalm 34:9-10
There is a condition that we need to get cured from and control over. It’s called EE (Emptiness Envy). Years ago, I suffered and needed healing from what the Holy Spirit diagnosed as Homeowner Envy. I would talk Joanie’s ears off about the amazing amenities of a friend’s house we just visited, while bemoaning the bare elements of our “happy” home.
In Exodus 20:17 we read God’s tenth commandment, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Coveting often comes from a place of being convinced that others have it way better than we do. There are times we get caught in the vicious vortex of comparison and an overall feeling of lack. They are blessed, we are burdened; they are favored, we are forgotten; they are happy, we are hopeless; they have it all, we have nothing. That does not exactly sound like David’s praise in Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Two things can help us break the curse of lack and live in the place of fullness:
1) GIVE THANKS for everything you have- The other day I found myself needing to be reminded of God’s goodness. I took time to thank Jesus for my house, our church, the state I live in, the stuff I own, and things I get to enjoy. My focus shifted from wanting more, minimizing what I have, and overlooking the daily blessings, to thanking Him for all He has provided. 1 Timothy 6:17 tells us, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
2) REMEMBER NOTHING (material) lasts forever- Let’s say you discovered you were given one-million dollars (I hear all the “Amen’s” already). You know what would eventually happen? That money would run out, with you needing more to pay the bills, save for the future, and afford living in California. From money to job titles to new cars to the size of a house to the latest gadget, those things will all pass away over time and fail in bringing us true fulfillment deep within. In Matthew 6:19-20 Jesus teaches us, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Looking to Jesus will shift us from lack, because He is always showering us with love and satisfying us with good!