Last year I read the book Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst. It was such a great book for women that I decided to start a Bible study based on it for the ladies in our church.
We’ve been working our way through it for several months, and in our last Bible study, we covered the chapter on Scarcity vs. Abundance Thinking.
Seriously.
So. Good.
This mindset is something I’ve often needed to be reminded of, and if you any ambition to do something great for the Kingdom of God, you may need this reminder too!
This world we live in is self-centered. Unfortunately, we are influenced by the cultures we live in, not always stopping to identify mindsets that are contrary to our Christian principles.
It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that life is all about us, and succumb to a fearful and selfish scarcity mentality. Scarcity thinkers believe that there’s only so much available in life. They see life as a box of a dozen chocolates, and when someone else gets a piece less available for them.
This kind of thinker isn’t able to rejoice in the success of others because they feel threatened by it. They’re unwilling to share credit or recognition, even when it’s deserved.
Have you ever wanted to do something and watched someone else receive the opportunity to do that very thing? Maybe it’s something God has promised to you, and yet it seems as though He’s opening the door for others and not you.
Scarcity thinking causes us to be afraid that there will be no place for us; that we will simply be lost in the crowd.
There are at least a couple things wrong with this mindset:
1. As Christians we are called to prefer our sisters (Romans 12:10), honor those who deserve it (Romans 13:7), and rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15).
We should be happy for the success of others, especially as God opens doors for them to impact the Kingdom.
Anytime a sister is using her talents for God’s glory, the Church, as a whole, should be celebrating the fact that God is being made known and lifted up in this world.
That is our collective goal, right?
2. Scarcity thinking is a sign of limited, if not absent, faith.
If God has called you to a ministry or made promises to you, He will complete what He’s started in you. Regardless of what He does for others.
God is not limited; He’s a God of abundance — which is why we should embrace an abundance mentality.
Abundance thinkers understand that there is plenty in this life for everyone. Throw out the box of chocolates, there’s limitless access to chocolates!
It’s easy for Abundance Thinkers to collaborate, share recognition, and celebrate the success of others. In fact, they empower others for success, doing what they can to propel more people into ministry, and they genuinely pray that others would be blessed.
We’re reminded in Romans 12 that we are all part of the body of Christ, and when others succeed, the whole body succeeds!
Also, we are all designed to fulfill His purpose and there is always a place for our unique voice and talents in the Kingdom of God.
Just because someone else is doing it doesn’t mean your voice shouldn’t be heard. It doesn’t mean you aren’t needed: you bring your own unique experiences and perspective.
Don’t let your faith be weakened by scarcity thinking. And, don’t ever believe that God has overlooked you or forgotten His promises, even when you see others stepping into ministries or opportunities you’ve been called to.
Instead, rejoice with your sisters and know that God is at work! Soon enough, your sisters will be rejoicing with you.
It’s time to lift our heads, keep our chin up, and leave the scarcity mentality behind. Let us all fully embrace an abundance mentality!