I have a confession to make

Have you ever been scared that you didn't have enough?

You look at your bank balance. Ugh.
You peek at your bills. Ugh.

You see the money coming in but think, “Will it be enough? I need more.”

A sensation blankets your body, and it ain’t good.

Is this anxiety?
Is this stress?
Fear wraps around you like an anaconda.

Well, I have a confession to make.

This has been most of my adult life.

Even when cash flow has been abundant.
Even though I've never gone hungry.
Even though I've always had a roof over my head and clothes on my back.

Yet, internally, I've lived from lack. I’ve felt like what I’ve had has never been enough (great or small).

This can manifest in multiple ways.
For me, it's been financial.

I've been terrified about my security.

I now know that's why I pushed as hard as I did, growing my multi-million dollar businesses.

Make as much as possible, as fast as possible-was the game.

Loss or the thought of loss was scary. Going backwards? Hellz-nah!

Unfortunately, it's a losing game.

Part of my journey (and mission) with the Good Steward is understanding how to live in and from abundance, no matter my external circumstances, and then share that with others (you).

In my old age, I've learned there isn't much we can control.

We like to think we can, but life happens. Things are out of our control. So, how do we handle this when control is ripped from our hands?

So here's where I'm at...

As a follower of Jesus, I've meditated Psalm 23 hundreds of times.

It goes like this,

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2 He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.

3 He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.

4 Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me.

The whole passage is profound, and the imagery is mind-boggling.

There are many promises made, like lacking nothing. Nothing.

But we live in a society and culture that constantly tells us we lack, don’t have enough, and aren’t good enough.

So, it makes sense that we live in scarcity and lack.

Jesus also said, don't worry about anything. Huh? 😅 

Yet fear and worry seem to have driven so much of my life—at times, they still do. At least until I direct my mind appropriately.

Why have I struggled so much to not live in lack? When the promise above is pretty straightforward, and when I look back, I've never lacked what I needed.

It’s a process to grow in. But on the other side of this process is a richer life. It’s upside down—or rather, it seems that way.

This brings me to my second confession.

I haven't believed Jesus or the Bible I follow. This is important because of the promises the Creator has given. I can choose to live according to that or not.

At times, I’ve said I believed. But when it comes down to it, my state hasn’t represented that.

It’s a process that I’m growing in.

It’s like this: If Missy (my wife) said she would make dinner and that it would be delicious, I wouldn’t doubt it would be on the table. My belief is such, that my state is never in a place of concern or worry about dinner.

Hmm.

It doesn't matter if you're "religious" or not. Every person has a belief system and serves and worships something.

Our life is the result of what we believe.

We can believe we have enough or not. We can believe we'll be provided for or not.

When I feel anxious or stressed or make fear-based decisions, I can trace the feeling to my belief system.

Here are a few things I'm thinking about that might help you...

1. What do you believe, and what is your response?

Do you believe you don't have enough?

Do you believe you lack?

Or do you have the provision you need?

Beliefs shape our lives.

Feelings and states can be traced back to beliefs. What are those?

2. Do you meditate on your provision or your lack?

“Meditate on” is what we continually think about.

We have the power to decide how we direct our minds.

Directing our minds requires new processes and patterns, and here is what I have so far for this process:

1. create new beliefs

2. Install new beliefs

• Write your current beliefs

• Write down your new beliefs next to that

3. Practice new beliefs

• Practice is a daily review.

• Practice is daily asking the right questions (what do I believe, why, what’s the evidence)

• This takes time, so please be sure to allow yourself grace.

These three steps are a vehicle for intentionally directing our minds to the abundance that we have right now.

We run ourselves ragged because we live in a constant state of lack. That’s what culture pushes, and the environment has been conditioned.

We can direct our minds (thinking) to anything that we choose. Why not? What will create a happier internal state for us? A life without directing it toward lack?

That's what I'm pursuing. No matter the external situation.

Do you think this resonates, and can you relate?

I would love to hear it.

Much love,

Chris