Joel M Bradshaw

8…give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the LORD?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.–Proverbs 30

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

The proverb writer doesn’t want to be poor, for then he would give himself the excuse to steal. He doesn’t want to be rich, for then he would give himself the excuse to deny that he even needs God. So he instead he prayed for the situation where his needs are met and only that. Instead of a garden of excuses to sin he pursued contentment.

In my younger years I had a long season of my life when I felt lonely and rejected. In my depression I told myself that I had no hope and I gave myself excuses to act out in addictive behaviors every day. I wasn’t content with God or with how God had provided for me. I instead followed my selfish heart and sinned daily and regularly. In my selfish hypocrisy I communicated to God that He wasn’t enough and that I deserved something more. I was wrong. God is so faithful. And what’s worse is that I knew it. I needed a change in perspective to grow in discipline.

1. DEPEND UPON GOD FOR YOUR DAILY NEEDS.
2. RECOGNIZE THAT GOD HAS INDEED SUPPLIED THOSE NEEDS.
3. BE CONTENT WITH THE PROVISION GOD HAS FAITHFULLY PROVIDED.
4. DON’T FEED SINFUL CHOICES WITH SELFISH EXCUSES.
5. DISCIPLINE GROWS WHEN YOU REPEAT 1-4.

By God’s grace, I now celebrate many years of recovery from that habitual sin that I once made excuses for. My daily task now is to grow in contentment!–JMB