You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11
“The Christian man of wealth must not allow his wealth to make him haughty nor must he trust in his riches for his eternal well-being. His only ground of confidence must be in the living God who abides though all else vanishes. The Christian must look above his wealth and put his trust in the God who gave him everything which he enjoys. There is nothing wrong with a man’s enjoying his wealth. In truth, it is given to him by a gracious God to enjoy. No man, however, can truly enjoy wealth who is more devoted to wealth (to the acquiring of it and the selfish use of it) than he is to God. God is the true fountain of abiding joy.”
Charles A. Trentham in Studies in Timothy (Nashville: Convention Press, 1959) 80.
There’s a mindset of some in the generosity space that we cannot enjoy God’s material blessings. Many try to affix this on me, but the shoe does not fit.
I love to enjoy and share God’s blessings. That’s the command to us. When we follow it, we take hold of life. Anyone who knows me knows I urge everyone to follow the biblical instructions to pour God’s resources into memories (enjoyment) and mission (sharing).
Where I have issue, and Trentham points this out, is the people who think that generosity or sharing can happen along with aiming at acquiring treasures for oneself. Jesus called this trying to serve God and mammon. It can’t be done.
Where do you see yourself in all this? Or maybe the better question is what does God see when he looks and you and your decisions linked to money?
My desire for myself and everyone else is to enjoy and share God’s blessings. When we do this it is a fountain of abiding joy. But when water sits stagnant, it gets gross. The same with money. Don’t let it stay with you. Obedience keeps us in a place of perpetual dependence on God.