Reflect
The rich man said, “This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods, and I shall say to myself, ‘Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!” But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong? (Luke 12:18-20). Fear tells us we always need “more” to be self-sufficient and secure: more money, possessions, safety nets, and back-up plans. Fear convinces us that if we prepare for every possible future outcome, we can eventually relax and be happy. How easily we forget that this world is beyond our control, and no matter how many possible outcomes we consider, new ones keep arising.
Pray
Dear Jesus,
Please help me learn the difference
between enough and excess.
If I have shelter for today,
clothes on my back, and food to eat,
I have enough.
Tomorrow doesn’t exist yet,
and in worrying about it,
I miss what I have today.
Fill my heart with gratitude
and trust in your generous provision,
accepting whatever you give me.
Act
Give away something from your excess today—even if it’s something you consider valuable.
