Jesus tells that we will trust either God or Mammon (Money). And who of us could dispute that truth? For better or ill we need money to live in this fallen world and we are subject to all the schemes and machinations of our economy devised by men and women for whom Mammon if indeed God.
We do foolish things when it comes to money and we do make mistakes. We take bad advise and well - we sin. And so money (for both needs and debt) looms large in our vision and can preoccupy our prayers.
It's all too easy to see Mammon as an answer - and we have to admit sometimes it is. But how do we pray for that answer - and whom we pray to for that answer is critical.
Fred has been out of work for a year. He and his wife squeak by on what she earns and the kindness of both friends and strangers. They worry and fret. They are embarrassed and convicted. They have erred and sinned when it comes to money.
How do we encourage them? How do we direct them to pray. Fred needs a job - they need money - what do we say, what do we do?
Encouraging them to pray for God's provision is a "Yeah duh." But they struggle with constantly praying for money. They feel they are using God like and ATM and they do not want to. They fear imposing upon friends and ruining relationships. They are embarrassed and to some extent ashamed. The "brave faces" they put on often crack and become scowls and frowns of shame.
They wonder why God should make up for their errors and their sins with material blessings. They struggle with bartering with God about what they will do if He come to their relief. They struggle becasue their prayers seem inundated with their needs to the exclusion of other more important things.
What to we tell them, what do we do?
Are their prayers for financial relief actually prayers to Mammon? They sometimes feel they are? Though God provides for them daily and friends and strangers do what they can to help they still struggle with trust even in the face of provision
They know that God is providing but as we all know, looming future needs can force their way into our hearts and blot out that present gratitude with fear and axiousness.
Are they trusting God "Or" are the trusting someone or something else. They think of some who could relieve their distress either by helping Fred find work of by directly addressing their debt. They find themselves trying to figure out how God can fix the problem and they even sometimes feel that God expects then to fix it their own.
As Fred's wife says, she struggles, " I know God CAN provide, I struggle with IF He WILL provide." This is so very common especially when we look at the circumstances as the consequences of of our sin. We ask, "Why should I ask God to clean up my mess?" "Why should I expect or even ask Him to undo the consequences of my sin?"
Prayer can be tough in tough times. The world condemns, Satan raises our failures and sows doubts and the flesh wants to have a pity party or just give up.
Perhaps - just perhaps the safest prayer we could ever pray - regardless of the situation is, "God have mercy on me, a sinner."
When it comes to tough times and the assaults we suffer in them we tend to "pray to the hurt" instead of praying as we ought. It's a fight but a fight worth the effort.
But still the question remains, "Am I trusting God for money or am I asking God for money to trust in."
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