Devotionals

Poverty and Thankfulness

Introduction

This may be a touchy subject, but I want to really spend some time on poverty and thankfulness. How it feels to live a Christian lifestyle with less than others, how to be thankful in the hard times, and how the two topics can relate to each other. So let's really open our minds and think deep as we read about these two very important, but not often talked about, topics.

There are different kinds of poverty. Some of us are more poor than others, while some people are poor because of different things. Some people have little money, some have very little clean water. Our poverties vary from person to person, but we're all poor in at least one area of our lives. What do you lack? Are you low on funds, don't seem to have enough money for everything in your life that you need it for? Or how about your time? Do you not spend enough time with God that's needed for strengthening a relationship with Him?

Whatever the reason, we all lack something. The point is that we can all achieve the same goals with or without certain materials. Someone who doesn't have a lot of money can still go to an expensive place or have a pricey vacation trip, it'll just take them longer to raise the money compared to someone who has more money than they do. Our limitations don't hold us back as much as we think they do.

Ever heard the saying 'I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength'? It's a bible verse (Philippians 4:13) that reminds us what we can do because of Jesus. He's blessed us so much by giving us the strength to do anything and everything. So why do we complain about the little things like our 'old' phones or those people we simply hate?

I notice a lot of times that I get caught up in the busyness of life and forget to thank God for things, little and big. As I'm writing this, I want to add that I just found out about a friend who's moving away in five days. We're really close, and the move is going to be hard for both of us. I know, however, that I should be thankful that God is giving him opportunities somewhere else, which is what I told him. God can turn unfortunate or seemingly terrible circumstances into amazing situations.

Here's another question for you. God is in control over all parts of our life, so why do we doubt Him? When money is running low and the bills keep coming, we tend to lower our tithes or stop them completely until we are sure that we'll make it through the week, month, year, etc. It's not easy, but we really need to give God our first and best, and I'm including myself in this as well. I don't have a "job", but I babysit and get paid every Friday night. Although it's not that much, God can do amazing things if I choose to let Him use my money for His glory.

When we place our trust in God, He promises to take care of us. Our lives may have bumps in the road, but that doesn't mean He's not there right beside us. God knows what we're going through, and He'll often allow us to go through tough situations so we'll come out a better and stronger person and Christ follower.

Sometimes we feel like we have nothing to give to God. We're reminded of all that He's done for us and how we can never earn our way into heaven. For this devotional, I've added a song by Mandisa that's called Broken Hallelujah. It explains how we can lift our hands, eyes, and voices to God during the times when words fail us. We can be thankful in the hard times by praising God for all situations, both good and bad.

When I found out that my friend was moving, I thanked God even though it seemed like the worst thing in the world to me. Luckily, we've been able to hang out and talk before he leaves. As we close with this devotional, I want to remind you (and myself as well) not to dwell on your situations; instead, think about God's power and will for your life. Let's really focus and try hard to be thankful in all circumstances. Life isn't always going to be easy, but we can have peace knowing that God can turn our broken lives into beautiful masterpieces with His timing. Have an amazing day!