Two for One - Part Two: No More Number Two

There's no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)

Once upon a time, I had a good amount of money saved up, that God told me not to use for my trip to Argentina. When He told me this, I obeyed, but in my heart I was thinking "this money is still available to me, so I can use it just in case God doesn't come through." He did provide all I needed for my trip, in a very miraculous way, but that's normal for me because God has always provided everything I need in His perfect timing. After realizing that my saved money was no longer needed as a back-up plan for my trip to Argentina, I put it in my mind towards another back-up plan: to put a significant dent in my student loans, or maybe pay for my next missions trip, or for any emergencies that may come up."

I didn't realize it then, but all of my thoughts were sensible, but they were thoughts formed from living in fear. I was living bound to my fears instead of to the promises of God.

About a month into my trip here in Argentina, I felt like God was telling me to give away all the money I had in savings. Since this was a huge decision for me, I decided to pray about it for a week, just to make sure it was God I was hearing, and not just the emotion of being in a different country, seeing so many needs around me, and wanting to cater to them. Throughout this week of prayer, God revealed to me that, when perceived from the perspective of a mind bound to the promises of God, this wasn't a big request. As I said in one of my earlier blog posts, God has been taking away all of my fears, and has replaced them with love for Him and others. Therefore, when He asked me to do this, and I realized it really was God and not just an emotional response, I didn't perceive it as a big ask. Instead, I immediately thought, "what's this amount of money that I've obtained in my own strength, when compared to the infinite strengths and provision of the God who loves me?!"

It's now very obvious to me that my way of thinking has changed, and I believe it's a result of the change God has made in my heart from fear to love. That said, I hope this has prompted you to self-reflection: what's your back-up plan? What's holding you back from the infinite, grandiose blessings of God? I guarantee, when you find the answer, and start replacing it with God, you too will be abundantly satisfied and showered with the joy of obedience.