Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
The most challenging thing I’ve had to overcome as an adult is a scarcity mindset. Growing up poor, I learned two habits that may have been useful then but became a hindrance to my joy and peace later in life. The first was the belief that there is never enough. If I had money to spend, I felt I had to use it immediately because something else would inevitably pop up to take it away. That mindset left little room for trust. The second habit was living in a constant state of stress. This stress blinded me to the good things happening in my life because I couldn’t see past all the needs I felt I had. I missed the provision of God entirely.
It wasn’t until I began shifting my perspective—focusing on blessings rather than lack—that I started to break free from this scarcity mindset. The secret? Practicing gratitude.
Gratitude is powerful. For Christians, giving isn’t a duty but a heartfelt response to God for all He has done. In the story of the loaves and fish, when Jesus received the boy’s offering, the first thing He did was give thanks to His Father. That act of gratitude preceded the miracle of multiplication.
When we practice gratitude, we align our hearts with God’s abundant nature. Gratitude shifts our focus from what we don’t have to what we do, and it positions us to receive more of God’s blessings. The boy didn’t cling tightly to his small offering; he gave it with an open heart, trusting that Jesus would do something extraordinary with it.
In your own life, what would it look like to live with open-handed gratitude? When you thank God for His past faithfulness, you prepare your heart to trust Him for even greater things. Gratitude becomes the fertile soil where abundance grows, transforming stress into peace and scarcity into joy.
Reflection Questions:
- How can you practice gratitude in your daily life?
- What are you thankful for that shows God’s abundance in your life?
- How can gratitude lead you to trust God with more?