Finances, contentment, and dependency

Greg made some interesting comments today that I want to pick up on here.

Finances are definitely a major area for me to work on. I have a hard time trusting God with mine, not because my head doesn’t think God wants to bless me, but because my heart knows that God ultimately would like me to trust only in him. In the Garden, Adam and Eve had anything and everything they needed. They were in Paradise living a perfect life. What was it that made them want to give all of that up?

Greg hit it right on the head in his post. It was the whole area of contentment. The line of thinking goes something like: “Maybe I’m missing out on something. Maybe this fragile dependent relationship with God isn’t what I want. I want to be free to make my own choices, run my own life, and go my own way.”

Interestingly enough, in the end, Adam and Eve already had the knowledge of good and evil before they sinned. God had told them what was good and what was not. But instead, they chose to get with their own efforts what they already had for free. So instead of resting, they worked. Instead trusting, they forged on without God.

This, folks, is the nature of sin.

And restoration, sanctification, and maturity all depend on me learning how to rest, trust, and let go of my own efforts.

I just wish it wasn’t so dang hard to do.