1 Timothy 6:6-10 New International Version (NIV) ⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

It is kind of interesting that these verses are the ones that I am supposed to write a blog about today.  God has a way of hitting me over the head with scriptures like these when I need them the most.

I prayed about what God wanted me to write about on this passage.  There are 2 ways that I could go & I could not choose between the 2.  So, I am going to write about both of them.

When do you know if you have enough?  That is a question that I have worried about and prayed about for a while.  It kind of started when my mother was still alive and I was trying to manage her money and make sure that she had “enough” to live on before she passed away.  I watched as she grew older and her money continued to decline.  She had thought that she had plenty, but the money was quickly running out.

What did I do?  I panicked!  Instead of relying on God providing, I decided to add on to my house so that she could move in and live with Cindy and me.  I spent a lot of money adding on to my house so that she could be comfortable.  We built a small apartment in our house-a 2^nd master bath, a sitting room and a bedroom.  We started in February and finished in July.  She moved into the room in August and died in October.

I had my plan and then God had His plan.  I didn’t pray hard enough or listen good enough to hear that God had it under control.  She had plenty of money when she died.  I had determined that she was going to run out.  But God knew exactly how much she needed.

Now, as I get older, I still wonder if I have enough to live on for the rest of my life.  Do I have enough so that I can retire and live comfortably the rest of my life?  I have no way of knowing that, but God does! I need to listen to Him and rely on His word that He will provide my daily bread.

The other way I could have gone on this blog is that my stepmother just passed away.  I am the co-executor on the will.  She had a lot of “stuff”.  As we go through the will and try to honor her wishes, I have watched everyone argue, complain and ask –Why did I not get that?  Why did he/she get that?  Why is there list bigger than mine?  How come I didn’t get more?  Well you get the picture.

People with good Christian backgrounds and that attend church regularly were worried about stuff.  That’s what it is STUFF!  My stepmother had a lot of money, jewelry, real estate and STUFF.  But as the passage states, she left it all behind for me, my brothers & my step brother to fight over.  Yet it is all just STUFF and like my mother and my step mother, when we die, it will be left behind for our heirs to fight over.

Dear Lord,

Please help me to appreciate all that you have provided.  Please help me not to be consumed with STUFF.  You have promised to provide my daily bread, help me to realize that enough is what YOU determine not me.  Please help me to discern between my needs and my wants.  Please help me to not be consumed with getting more stuff because money and valuables only provide temporary satisfaction but YOU provide everlasting love and eternal life.  Amen

Jerry