Last week, in the middle of an aisle at Sam’s Club, I felt the warning signs of an impending anxiety attack. As I stared at my cart piled to the brim with boxes and tubs and pre-packaged everything, my heart began to pound and my temperature rose, then cooled, while the pit that often lays dormant my core began to open and gnash its pointy teeth.

“Is this enough?” I wondered. “Will everyone have enough to eat? Maybe we need a greater variety of chips? Do we need more drinks? And what about dessert? We can’t run out of dessert. But we’re already spending a lot of money. I shouldn’t spend anymore, right?” With everything pounding inside and a sinking feeling spirit, I headed to the checkout where I handed over both my debit card and my goods–feeling terrible about both.

This, my friends, is what it’s like to live in a culture of scarcity. Nothing is ever enough, and all that we have in abundance is anxiety. I know you can relate. It’s how we roll in the western world. Marketers tell us that we need to buy something fast because those shoes won’t be on sale next week and the Pumpkin Spice Latte only lasts for a season. We’re taught to consume it all before it’s gone–YOLO, am I right–while at the same time being told to hoard everything in case you need it down the road. It’s no wonder a trip to the grocery store often feels like stepping into the Hunger Games arena!

But it’s not just about finite resources. We have the same scarcity principle of time–cramming our calendars to overflowing so as not to miss out on something, while bemoaning our lack of time to do the things we truly enjoy. In our minds, everything can become nothing in the blink of an eye…so we perpetually focus on the not enough.

Like most things in our world, the scarcity deficit from which we operate is the complete opposite of what God envisioned for his kingdom. Consider this passage from Psalm 36.

I love the imagery here–how God calls us not to amble over for a light pre-game snack, but to run and eat our fill of heaven’s bounty while quenching our thirst from Eden’s own spring! There is no scarcity in God’s realm…there is only fulfillment. Need more proof?

Consider the creation story, when God caused light to burst into the void that was the Earth, then brought forth lush vegetation, waters teeming with life, and a myriad of creatures roaming the land. Or Abram, whom God called to marvel at the fullness of the night sky, then said that Abram’s offspring would outnumber even the vastness of these celestial jewels. Later, as Abram’s offspring wandered the wilderness and wondered what was for dinner, God made sure their bellies were full of heavenly bread and succulent meat. Then there is Ruth, who gleaned in a field in expectation of finding meager sustenance, only to have Boaz instruct his workers to leave piles of wheat for her to gather. And can we forget the woman at the well, whom Jesus promised streams of living water so that she would never thirst again?

Our God is abundant. There is no scarcity to be found in his work, in his love, in his mercy, in his grace. So why do we choose to live as if there is a deficit? Why do we insist that we don’t have enough when we worship a God whose very nature is one of generous giving. God gives–fully, completely, abundantly. There is enough…for…all…people.

There are those in this world for whom scarcity is a real and life-threatening situation. But it doesn’t have to be this way. God teaches us that there is enough–he made enough–so that all might have an abundant life. And guess what? He’s calling you and me to be his agents of generosity! We don’t need to grab all we can while we can because God has promised that he will give us what we need when we need it. I love the way John puts it:

Instead of thinking about all we lack when God comes knocking on the door to our hearts, what if we choose to focus on all that God can offer? What if we say:

Yes! I will give one hour a week to a kid who needs a caring adult to talk to, knowing that God will make the time multiply.

Yes! I will commit to tithing ten percent of my income, knowing that God will ensure I have enough left over to support my family.

Yes! I will contribute to a holiday drive knowing that my resources will add abundantly to those of others in order to bless someone else.

Yes! I will sign up to help with that new ministry at church God has been bugging me about, knowing that he will open doors and make a way where I see only obstacles.

Yes! I will take the time to check in on a friend or neighbor, knowing that the joy of fellowship will fill me far more than whatever else I would have consumed in those minutes.

God gives us gift after gift. So, this week, try to consciously avoid the mindset of scarcity. Instead, give your fears, what-ifs, and doubt to a God who has more than enough to meet your every need.

Blessings and Peace

Sara