Chasing Zeros

How many of you have a nest egg? More than one? I have a nest egg I have been working on. I have been trying to decide when it is time to be done working. I have other things I was always going to accomplish. How much is enough? When will I have enough zeros?

How happy is anyone
who has put his trust in the Lord
and has not turned to the proud
or to those who run after lies!
Ps 40:4 (CSB)

I keep asking myself, how much is enough. You see, I feel secure if I am still bringing in a paycheck. The size of my bank account does not offer me the same security as a steady paycheck. I know we are to be wise with our money. I also know that we cannot trust in our money. Our trust must be in God. I have been asking myself “Where do responsibility and trust meet?” How far can I go, being a good steward, before I am trusting in my money? Am I actually trusting God, or am I really trusting myself and the things I can control? The problem is, we live in a very money intensive society. We all make money, then trade money for goods and services. We have little with which to barter if we have no money. What happens if it runs out? Can I trust God to see me through anything that comes my way? Or, am I using God as a tool to get my own way? I have been contemplating this, and have reached a conclusion. You see,  people with money trust God, as do people without money. Alternatively, people fail to trust God, rich or poor. What is the difference? It is not the presence or absence of money, it is a view of money. I have come to a conclusion regarding the tension between trust in God and trust in having my retirement account. Instead of thinking about it as trusting either God or money, I must think about it as my willingness to trust God with my money (or lack thereof). When I can do that, I am free to obey His direction despite the presence or absence of a certain dollar amount. I can trust Him with both what I have and what I lack.

Why is this so challenging? It is one thing to come to an intellectual understanding. It is another thing to yield one’s heart. Still, another to live out God’s truth on a day to day basis. Let’s start at least one day, today.

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