Don’t Worry, Trust God!

In Philippians 4:19 I read, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (NLT)

I can be a hero one day and a zero the next day, a millionaire one day and bankrupt the next. No matter how much I make, no matter how much I save, finances are uncertain.

So I worry. But what does the Bible say about worrying over money?

1. It’s unreasonable. Matthew 6:25 says, “Do not to worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothes? (NIV). I’m going to have fears in life, but I don’t need to fear a lack of finances. Even bankruptcy does not have to defeat me. Life is more than just the accumulation of things. Be concerned about what’s truly important.

2. It’s unnatural. Jesus reminded people that there’s no need for God’s creation to worry: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than them?” (Matthew 6:26 NIV)

3. It’s unnecessary (Matthew 6:30). Financial fears come from a misunderstanding about God and what he’s promised to do for me. He’s assumed responsibility for all needs. Jesus said, “See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin . . . If that is how God clothes the grass of the field . . . will he not much more clothe you?” (Matthew 6:28-30 NIV). God is my Father; I am his child; he’s going to care for my needs.

When I worry, I’m trying to play God. I’m assuming responsibility for something that God has said he will take care of. Paul says in Philippians 4:19, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (NLT).

God knows what’s going on in my life—and in my wallet. He knows all my needs even before I ask. And I can trust him to take care of me.

In summary, I can be a millionaire one day and bankrupt the next. No matter how much I make, no matter how much I save, finances are uncertain. So I end up worrying. What does God’s Word say to me about worrying over money? First, it’s unreasonable. I’m told not to worry about my life, what I’ll eat or drink; or about what I'll wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. I’m going to have fears in life, but I don’t need to fear a lack of finances. Life is more than just the accumulation of things. Be concerned about what’s truly important. Secondly, It’s unnatural. Jesus reminds us there’s no need for God’s creation to worry: “Look at the birds, your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than them?” Lastly, it’s unnecessary. Financial fears come from a misunderstanding about God and what he’s promised to do for me. He’s assumed responsibility for all needs. God is my Father; I am his child; he’s going to care for my needs. When I worry, I’m trying to play God. I’m assuming responsibility for something that God has said he will take care of. God who takes care of me will supply all your needs. God knows what’s going on. He knows all my needs. I Can trust him to take care of me. 

I can trust that God will always meet my needs. Whatever I need on earth he will always supply. I must remember the difference between my wants and my needs. I want to feel good and avoid discomfort and pain. I may not always get what I want. By trusting in Christ, my attitude and appetite can change from wanting everything to accepting his provision and power to live for him. 

Plant Now and Be Patient

In Galatians 6:9 I read, “Let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.” (GNT)

The time to start planting is now. A lot of people (including myself) say, ”They’re going to serve more or give more when they have the time, retire, or when they get a raise—one of these days”.

But “one of these days” is none of these days. I can’t wait for things to get better or something to happen; I need to start planting now. Why? Because the sooner I plant, the longer I’m going to enjoy the harvest.

But the harvest is not always going to come on my timeline. There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping. I plant in one season, and I harvest in another. 

I have to be patient and not give up!

This is one of the principles that the Kingdom of God operates on. In Mark 4:26-28, Jesus says, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head” (NIV).

The results will come, but they will come slowly and as part of a process. And because it takes time, I have to choose to be patient: “Let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest” (Galatians 6:9 GNT).

Choose to forget about last year’s crop failure. Instead, start focusing on the long-term harvest in my life. If I’m in some type of difficulty, it didn’t get that way overnight. It took years to mess things up, and it’s going to take a while to put things back together. There is a time of delay between sowing and reaping.

The Bible says in Psalm 126:5-6, “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest” (NLT).

What loss have you been grieving over? Maybe I’ve lost my dream. Mourning is okay; moaning is not. Instead of moaning, get moving! Today is the day to plant the seed.

In summary, the time to start planting is now. A lot of people (including myself) say, ”They’re going to serve more or give more one of these days”. But “one of these days” is none of these days. I can’t wait for things to get better or something to happen; I need to start planting now. The sooner I plant, the longer I’m going to enjoy the harvest. But the harvest is not always going to come on my timeline. There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping. I plant in one season, and I harvest in another. I have to be patient and not give up! This is one of the principles that the Kingdom of God operates on. A man scatters seed, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. The results will come, but they will come slowly and as part of a process. And because it takes time, I have to choose to be patient: “Let us not become tired of doing good, the time will come when we will reap the harvest”. Choose to forget about last year’s crop failure. Instead, start focusing on the long-term harvest. If I’m in some type of difficulty, it didn’t get that way overnight. It took years to mess things up, and it’s going to take a while to put things back together. There is a time of delay between sowing and reaping. What loss have I been grieving over? Mourning is okay; moaning is not. Instead of moaning, get moving! Today is the day to plant the seed.

It is discouraging to continue to do right and receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. But Paul challenged the Galatians and myself to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. In due time, I will reap a harvest of blessings.  

I Reap More Than I Sow

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 I read, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (NIV)

If a farmer goes out with a trailer load of beans and plants them in a barren field, what fruit does he expect to bear? Watermelon? Cucumbers? No, he’s going to get beans. He doesn’t doubt or question that outcome—because whatever is planted is what comes back.

This is the law of reproduction, and it applies to every single area of life—especially finances. Another way to explain the law of reproduction is this: I reap what I sow.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (NIV).

This can work either positively or negatively in life. If I’m planting seeds of kindness, people will be kind to me. If I forgive others, they will be forgiving of me. If I’m generous, people will show generosity to me.

But if I’m angry all the time, people will respond in anger. If I cheat others, others are going to cheat me. If I gossip about others, guess what? People are going to gossip about me.

The law of reproduction says that I reap what I sow. But the principle of multiplication says that I also always reap more than I sow. 

When I put one kernel of corn in the ground, I don’t get one kernel of corn back. I get a cornstalk with multiple ears on it and hundreds of kernels on each of those ears. This is the exponential power that God has established in the universe. I always get more out of it than I put into it.

If someone verbally attacks me, I never attack in return. Why? To keep from getting caught in the chain. If I say anything bad back, I’m going to reap more than I sowed. So I should choose to do the exact opposite of what they’ve done. Bless and pray for them. Why? Because that’s what I want to receive, and I always reap more than I sow. Proverbs 11:24 says, “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller” (The Message).

In summary, If a farmer goes out with a trailer load of beans and plants them he’s going to get beans. He doesn’t doubt or question that outcome—because whatever is planted is what comes back. This is the law of reproduction, and it applies to every single area of life. I will reap what I sow. Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. I need to give what I have decided in my heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”. This can work either positively or negatively. If I’m planting seeds of kindness, people will be kind to me. If I’m angry all the time, people will respond in anger. The law of reproduction says that I reap what I sow. But the principle of multiplication says that I also always reap more than I sow. When I put one kernel of corn in the ground, I don’t get one kernel of corn back. I get a cornstalk with multiple ears on it and hundreds of kernels. This is the exponential power that God has established in the universe. I always get more out of it than I put into it. If someone verbally attacks me, I should never attack in return. I do so to keep from getting caught in the chain. If I say anything bad back, I’m going to reap more than I sowed. So I should choose to do the exact opposite. Bless and pray for them. Because that’s what I want to receive, and I always reap more than I sow. The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller”.

God loves a cheerful giver and will always meet my needs. Having a giving attitude is more important than the amount that is given. God is pleased when I give generously and joyfully like him. Having difficulty in giving reflects ungratefulness to God. This principle of sowing and reaping applies to every area of life, not just money. Whatever I sow in life, I'll reap. If I sow with generosity, I'll reap generosity in my life. Amazingly enough, if I give it away, God will multiply it. I don't just reap what I sow, I'll always reap more. The way I get is by giving, not holding on.